2018 Bangladeshi general election

The 350 members of the Jatiya Sangsad consist of 300 directly elected seats using first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies,[7] and an additional 50 seats reserved for women. The reserved seats are distributed based on the proportional vote share of the contesting parties.[8] Each parliament sits for a five-year term.

Approximately 100 million voters were expected to vote from 40,199 polling stations across the country.[9] Electronic voting machines were used in six constituencies.[10]

The previous general elections in January 2014 were boycotted by the main opposition alliance, led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. As a result, the Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a landslide victory, taking 234 of the 300 seats in an election that saw 153 seats uncontested.[11]

In July 2017, the BNP stated that it was ready to contest the next general elections if parliament was dissolved and the election commission consisted of non-partisan members.[12] On 14 September 2017 the Official Chief Election Commissioner confirmed that the BNP would contest the elections.[13] However, following the conviction of BNP chair Khaleda Zia for corruption,[14] the High Court of Bangladesh ruled that Zia was ineligible to run for office.[15] As such her role is unclear in any potential government which contained the BNP.

In August 2017, Jatiya Party (Ershad) chairman and former President Hussain Ershad indicated that he wanted his party to leave the Awami League-led Grand Alliance and join a new alliance with democratic left and Islamic democratic parties.[16] In November 2018 the party announced that it would join the Awami League-led alliance.[17] On 28 December, Ershad announced Jatiya Party candidates contesting from “open seats” would support the ruling Awami League-led grand alliance candidates and extended his support to "my [his] 'sister' Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina".[18] Ershad personally withdrew from contesting the Dhaka-17 seat in favour of the Awami League candidate.[18] Ershad said however that “strong candidates” of his party would stay in the race.[18]

On 13 October 2018, the Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) was formed,[19] consisting primarily of the Gano Forum, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD and Nagorik Oikya,[20][21] led by former Foreign Minister Kamal Hossain of the Gano Forum. On 18 December the alliance announced a 14-point manifesto, which included a pledge to reduce the power of the office of Prime Minister.[22]

There was controversy in the run up to the elections surrounding the nomination of banned Jamaati candidates under the BNP banner. In 2013, the hard-line, right-wing, Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami was banned from registering and therefore contesting in elections by the High Court, citing their charter violates the constitution.[23][24] Twenty-five Jamaati candidates ran in the election, with twenty-two nominations for BNP and three running as independents.[25][26] An investigation was launched but on 23 December the Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said they had examined the related law and "there is no scope for rejecting the Jamaat leaders' candidacy at this moment."[26] On 26 December, just days before the election, Jatiya Oikya Front leader Kamal Hossain expressed his regret about Jamaat's involvement in the elections under his alliance, claiming "had I known [that Jamaat leaders will be given BNP tickets] I would not have been part of it."[27] The media however had reported involvement at the end of November.[25][28]

In accordance with election commission rules, campaigning was halted at 08:00 AM on the morning of 28 December.[29]

• The Fifth King of Bhutan and Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering congratulated Hasina and her party in a written message of congratulation.[44]
• Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister of China Li Keqiang greeted Sheikh Hasina on a landslide victory.[45]
• Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi congratulated Hasina on the landslide victory.[46]
• Prime Minister of Nepal Khadga Prasad Oli congratulated Hasina on the victory.[47]
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Hasina on her party's victory in a telephone call .[48]
• The Emir congratulated Hasina in a written message of congratulation.[49]
• President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hasina in a written message of congratulation.[50]
• The King and Crown prince congratulated Hasina and her party in a written message of congratulation.[51][52]
• The President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka greeted Sheikh Hasina on a landslide victory.[53][54]

• List of members of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad