1978 Bangladeshi presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Bangladesh on 3 June 1978. They were the first direct elections for the presidency, as the president had previously been elected by the Jatiya Sangsad.[1] The result was a victory for Ziaur Rahman, who received 76.6% of the vote. Turnout was 54.3%.[2]

1978 Bangladeshi presidential election
3 June 1978
Turnout54.3%
 
Candidate Ziaur Rahman M. A. G. Osmani
Party Jatiyatabadi Front Ganatantrik Oikkya Jote
Popular vote 15,733,807 4,455,200
Percentage 76.6% 21.7%
President before election

Ziaur Rahman
Military Junta

 President

Ziaur Rahman
Jatiyatabadi Front

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Campaign

Prior to the elections, six parties backing Ziaur Rahman – the Bangladesh Labour Party, the Bangladesh Muslim League, the Bangladesh Scheduled Caste Federation, Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal, the National Awami Party (Bhashani) and the United Peoples' Party – formed the Jatiyatabadi Front (Nationalist Front) to support his candidacy.[3]

M. A. G. Osmani was also supported by an alliance of six parties under the name Ganatantrik Oikkya Jote (Republican United Party). The alliance consisted of the Awami League, the Communist Party, the Gano Adaji League, the Jatiya Janata Party, the National Awami Party (Muzaffar) and the People's League.[3]

A group of parties led by Ataur Rahman boycotted the elections, including the Democratic League, the Islamic Democratic League, Jatiya Dal, the Jatiya League and the Krishak Sramik Party.[3]

Results
Candidate Party Votes %
Ziaur RahmanJatiyatabadi Front15,733,80776.6
M. A. G. OsmaniGanatantrik Oikkya Jote4,455,20021.7
Khabiruddin AhmedIndependent81,4250.4
Abul BasherJatiya Janomukti Union51,9360.3
Azizul IslamIndependent49,0640.2
Golam MorshedIndependent38,1930.2
Abdus SamadIslamic Democratic Group37,2730.2
Sirajul HudaJatiya Dal (Huda)35,6180.2
Abu Bakar SiddiqueIndependent25,0770.1
Abdul HamidJatiya Gano Mukti23,9680.1
Invalid/blank votes354,010–
Total20,885,571100
Registered voters/turnout38,486,24754.3
Source: Nohlen et al., Asian Affairs[4]

References
  1. Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p525 ISBN 0-19-924958-X
  2. Nohlen et al., p544
  3. M. A. Singammal (1979) "1978 presidential election in Bangla Desh", The Indian Journal of Political Science, volume 40, number 1, pp97–110
  4. Asian Affairs, Volume 8, p37
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