After the Emergency: Bangladesh Votes
On 29 December, Bangladeshis went to the polls for the first time in seven years. The latest results show a landslide victory for the The Awami League-led alliance, however the BNP complains of iregularities and vote-rigging in polling centres. For the past months, the country has seen a frenzy of excitement and activity in preparation for the Parliamentary Elections of 2008, from the introduction of new electoral laws, to anti-corruption drives and biting oratory from all parties involved. Himal Southasian, in collaboration with the Drik Picture Library, a photo library and media organisation in Dhaka, is carrying original, up-to-date coverage of the events on the ground during the week of the landmark elections. Watch the site for pre- and post-election updates!
POLL RESULTS!
New! New Age: Urdu speakers happy as they cast vote for the first time by Siddiqur Rahman Khan
New! BDNews24: Chief adviser looks to power handover soon
New! New Age: Many fail to cast votes
New! The Daily Star: Grand victory for grand alliance
New! New York Times: Secular Party Wins in Bangladesh
New! BBC: Bangladesh stunned by Awami victory
-Joint statement issued by Odhikar and IFES on election violence during the ongoing election campaign (covering 14-24 December 2008).
-Bloggers on the Bangladesh Elections at Unheard Voice
-Hoggole Singapore Hoibar Chai by Naeem Mohaieem
December 29 2008: Presiding officers begin to count votes. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Presiding officers begin to count votes. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Members of the European Union Observation team at a polling center in Dhaka. Over two lakh international and national observers have arrived in Bangladesh to monitor the parliamentary elections. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Voters emerge from behind a cloth screen after having stamped their ballots. Dhaka.
Photo by: Munira Morshed Munni/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia casts her vote at the Adamjee Cantonment College polling centre. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Voting continues in Bangladesh. Jessore.
Photo by: Firoz Gazi/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Voters from 299 constituencies across the country cast their votes in a bid to reinstate democracy after almost two years of emergency rule. In a televised speech the eve before election day, the CEC invited voters to realize their rights without fear of persecution as all of the necessary preparations had been put in place to assure a free and fair election. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Bangladeshis begin casting their votes from 8 AM onwards on Monday. Polls close at 4 PM. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Bangladeshis begin casting their votes from 8 AM onwards on Monday. Polls close at 4 PM. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Bangladeshis begin casting their votes from 8 AM onwards on Monday. Polls close at 4 PM. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Bangladeshis begin casting their votes from 8 AM onwards on Monday. Polls close at 4 PM. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Bangladeshis begin casting their votes from 8 AM onwards on Monday. Polls close at 4 PM. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
December 29 2008: Awami League President Sheikh Hasina casts her vote at the City College polling centre in Dhanmondi. A total of 38 political parties are contesting in 299 constituencies in this year’s polls. Dhaka.
Photo by: Munira Morshed Munni/DrikNEWS
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December 28 2008: “If you can’t select any candidate to vote for then cast your vote for ‘NO’.” Dhaka University students place a banner in front of Razu Memorial at Dhaka University campus a day before election day. Dhaka.
Photo by: Shafiqul Islam Kajol/DrikNEWS
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December 28 2008: BNP supporters rally through the city's streets to attract prospective voters. A total of 1,555 candidates from 39 political parties are contesting in this year’s election. Chittagong.
Photo by: Jashim Salam/DrikNEWS
December 28 2008: Awami League supporters pose as freedom fighters at the grand electoral alliance's last campaign rally before the National Election polls in Laldighi Maidan. Chittagong.
Photo by: Jashim Salam/DrikNEWS
December 26 2008: Supporters of Awami League President, Sheikh Hasina, show their patriotism at a rally in Paltan. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
December 26 2008: Strict security measures are being implemented at a pre-election Awami League meeting on Paltan grounds. Dhaka.
Photo by: Shafiqul Islam Kajol/DrikNEWS
December 26 2008: Awami League President Sheikh Hasina adressed supporters behind a bulletproof glass screen in a pre-election meeting on Paltan grounds today afternoon. She is scheduled to hold public meetings at Comilla and Feni on Saturday en route to Chittagong. Dhaka.
Photo by: Shafiqul Islam Kajol/DrikNEWS
December 26 2008: Members of the SWAT team stand in vigil before a pre-election Awami League meeting on Paltan grounds. Dhaka.
Photo by: Shafiqul Islam Kajol/DrikNEWS
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December 25 2008: Female candidate and well-known film actress, Sara Begum Kabori, campaigns in her constituency, Narayanganj-4. This year 50 female candidates are participating, campaigning for 52 constitutional seats out of a total 299 constitutional seats. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
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December 23 2008: Physically and mentally challenged performers take part in a street performance to promote a violence-free election in Rasel square, Dhanmondi. The upcoming 9th national elections in Bangladesh are the first of its kind. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
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December 22 2008: Rally launched in front of the National Sohid Minar by the Cultural Organisation Sommillito Sanskritik Jot demanding that 71 Rajakar’s (war criminals) not be allowed to cast a vote in the upcoming elections. Dhaka.
Photo by: Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS
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November 13 2007: A woman waits to register herself in the voter’s list after being photographed. For the first time in Bangladesh, voter ID cards with photos are being distributed to voters. Dhaka.
Photo by: Tanvir Ahmed/DrikNEWS
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November 6 2007: The Voter Registration and National ID card program continues in the second day since its initiation in Chittagong. A sophisticated system of providing voters with a Voter ID and National ID card has been introduced in the country for the first time. Chittagong.
Photo by: Adnan/DrikNEWS
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December 12 2008: Transparent ballot boxes have been sent to different polling centers across the country. The Election Commission (EC) received some 36,000 ballot boxes in the first consignment brought through UNDP and CIDA assistance programmes. Rajshahi.
Photo by: Iqbal Ahmed//DrikNEWS
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December 20 2008: Sheikh Hasina campaigning in Motijil colony field. Awami League joint secretary general Syed Ashraful Islam recently admitted that they had read reports insinuating that the party chief's life was in danger. Therefore the government has deployed the Special Security Force to escort her and BNP chief Khaleda Zia. Dhaka.
Photo by: Shafiqul Islam Kajol/DrikNEWS
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December 21 2008: A group of extremists attack Awami League candidate Zannat Ara Henry Talukder at 11.30 PM in Dhanmondi. According to Jannat Ara, 10-15 aggressive individuals suddenly appeared along the road and began throwing bricks and shooting in the direction of the car in which she was in. Nobody was seriously injured. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
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December 24 2008: Printing machines are running round-the-clock to print election posters. This year, the use of color posters is strictly prohibited. Dhaka.
Photo by: Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
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December 25 2008: Campaigning in the Hill District of Bandarban is in full swing. All the candidates in this constituency are Indigenous politicians who represent the peoples of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Candidates are keen not to keep an inch of these hilly areas untouched in their electoral contest, even involving family members in the march to solicit votes. Here, Prince of Bomang Raj Mr.Sanchi Purew Jerry's wife is reaching out to women of Bengali and Indigenous communities. Bandarban.
Photo by: Shubasish Barua/DrikNEWS
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December 25 2008: Posters of political leaders are being sold by footpath vendors. Dhaka.
Photo- Noor Alam/DrikNEWS
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December 25 2008: Supporters carry a replica of a plough, election symbol of the Jatiya Party. Bogra.
Photo by: Shafiq Islam/DrikNEWS
December 25 2008: Supporters carry a replica of a Dari-Palla (scales), the election symbol of the Jamaat-e-Islami. Rajshahi.
Photo by: Iqbal Ahmed/DrikNEWS
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Web Exclusive
After the Emergency: Bangladesh Votes
On 29 December, Bangladeshis went to the polls for the first time in seven years. The latest results show a landslide victory for the The Awami League-led alliance, however the BNP complains of iregularities and vote-rigging in polling centres. For the past months, the country has seen a frenzy of excitement and activity in preparation for the Parliamentary Elections of 2008, from the introduction of new electoral laws, to anti-corruption drives and biting oratory from all parties involved. Himal Southasian, in collaboration with the Drik Picture Library, a photo library and media organisation in Dhaka, is carrying original, up-to-date coverage of the events on the ground during the week of the landmark elections.
Odhikar and IFES Joint Statement on Election Violence
Online Poll
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