Bangladesh Prepares for Controversial Parliamentary Elections Amid Opposition Boycott

Exiled Opposition Leader Tarique Rahman Brands Upcoming Vote a 'Sham', While Ruling Party Insists Elections Will Be Representative and Participatory

Bangladesh is set to hold its 12th parliamentary elections on January 7, with nearly 2,000 candidates from 28 political parties contending for 300 parliamentary seats.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has boycotted the polls after the ruling Awami League rejected demands for a neutral caretaker government to preside over the general elections.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders insist that the elections will be representative and participatory, despite the absence of the main opposition party.
Bangladesh's last election in 2018 was beset by widespread allegations of vote rigging, with an Awami-led alliance ending up with 96% of seats in parliament.
Exiled opposition leader Tarique Rahman has called the upcoming election a 'sham' designed to cement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's rule.