Elections in Bangladesh

Scene from a polling booth in Bangladesh

Elections in Bangladesh gives information on election and election results in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh elects on national level a legislature with one house or chamber. The unicameral Jatiyo Sangshad, meaning national parliament, has 350 members of which 300 members are directly elected through a national election for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies while 50 memberships are reserved for the women who are selected by the ruling party or coalition. The Prime Minister is the head of the government. The president who is the head of the state is elected by the National Parliament. The president of Bangladesh is a ceremonial post and he/she does not exercise any control over the running of the state.

Bangladesh has an unofficial two-party system which has evolved over time since the election of 1991. It means that there are two dominant political parties or coalitions, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party in terms is single majority.

Parliamentary elections[edit]

Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban

The Parliament of Bangladesh (Jatiyo Sangsad) consists of 350 members elected to five-year terms. Of that number, 300 are elected in single-member territorial constituencies according to the First-Past-the-Post electoral system. The remaining 50 seats are reserved for women, and are filled on the basis of proportional representation by a vote of the 300 members.

2014 parliamentary election[edit]

Next parliamentary election[edit]

As the 10th Assembly of Parliament first sat on 29 January 2014 the next elections for the Bangladesh Parliament are to be held no later than 28 January 2019.

Previous parliamentary elections[edit]

Since 1971, ten parliamentary elections have been held in Bangladesh.

General elections[edit]

Pakistani National Assembly Election, 1970

The election was held on 7 December 1970. The total number of voters were 29,479,386. The number of casting votes was 17,005,163 (57.68%), the valid casting votes was 1,64,54,278.^[1]

Serial	Political Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Votes	Percentage	Symbol
1	Awami League	162	160	1,23,38,921	74.9%	Boat
2	PPP	79	1	4,83,571	2.9%
3	Nijame Islami	49	0	0	0%
4	Jamaat-e-Islami	70	0	9,91,908	6%
5	Pakistan Muslim League (Convention)	93	0	4,64,185	2.8%
6	Pakistan Muslim League (Kou)	50	0	2,74,453	1.6%
7	Pakistan Muslim League (Kayum)	65	0	1,75,822	1%
8	National Awami Party (Wali)	39	0	3,10,986	1.8%
9	Independent (politician)	114	1	5,61,083	3.4%

East Pakistan Provincial Council Election, 1970

The election was held on 17 December 1970. The percentage of casting votes was (57.69%), and the number of reserved women seat was 10.^[2]

Serial	Political Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Percentage	Symbol
1	Awami League	300	288	89%	Boat
2	PDP		2	1%
3	Nijame Islami		1
4	Jamaat-e-Islami		1	3%
5	Pakistan Muslim League (Convention)		0	1%
6	Pakistan Muslim League (Kou)		0	0.05%
7	Pakistan Muslim League (Kayum)		0	0.05%
8	National Awami Party (Wali)		1	0.9%
9	Independent (politician)		7	5%

Bangladeshi General Election, 1973

The election was held on 7 March 1973. Total number of voter=3,52,05,642; Cast votes=1,93,29,683 (54.9%); Valid casting votes=1,88,51,808 (53.54%); Reserved Women Seats=15.^[3]

e • d **Summary of the 07 March 1973 Bangladeshi Jatiyo Sangshad election**
Serial	Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Votes	%	Symbol
1	Awami League	300	293	1,37,93,717	73.2%	Boat
2	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal	237	1	12,29,110	6.52%	Torch
3	National Awami Party (Mozaffar)	224	0	15,69,299	8.33%	Hut
4	National Awami Party (Bhasani)	169	0	10,02,771	3%	Sheaf of Paddy
5	Communist Party of Bangladesh	4	0	47,211	0.25%	Key
6	Communist Party of Bangladesh (L)	2	0	18,619	0.1%	Bullock Cart
7	Bangladesh Jatiyo League	8	1	62,354	0.33%	Plough
8	Banglar Communist Party	3	0	11,911	0.06%	Axe

Bangladeshi General Election, 1979

The election was held on 18 February 1979.^[4] Total number of voter=3,87,89,239; Cast votes=1,96,76,124 (50.94%); Valid casting votes=1,92,68,437 (49.67%); Reserved Women Seats=30.^[5]

e • d **Summary of the 18 February 1979 General Election election**
Serial	Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Votes	%	Symbol
1	Bangladesh Nationalist Party	298	207	79,34,236	41.16%	Sheaf of Paddy
2	Awami League(Malek)	295	39	47,34,277	24.55%	Boat
3	Awami League(Mizan)	184	2	5,53,426	2.72%	Ladder
4	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal	240	8	9,31,851	4.84%	Torch
5	Bangladesh Muslim League and Islamic Democratic League	266	20	19,41,394	10.08%	Lantern (Hurricane)
6	National Awami Party (Mo)	89	1	4,32,514	2.25%	Hut
7	National Awami Party (Naser)	28	0	25,336	0.14%	Rose
8	National Awami Party (Nuru Jahid)	38	0	88,385	0.46%	Lamp
9	Communist Party of Bangladesh	11	0	75,455	0.39%	Key
10	United Peoples Party	70	0	1,70,955	0.89%	Bullock Cart
11	Bangladesh Jatiyo League	14	2	69,319	0.36%	Plough
12	Bangladesh Gono Front	46	2	1,15,622	0.60	Bicycle
13	Jatioybadi Gonotantrik Dal	29	0	27,259	0.14	Fish
14	Shramik Krishak Samajbadi Dal	2	0	4,954	0.02	Umbrella
15	Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal	20	1	74,771	0.39
16	Bangladesh Gonotantrik Andolon	16	0	7,738	0.04	Chair
17	Bangladesh Labour Party	18	1	34,259	0.17	Clock
18	Jatioy Janata Party	9	0	10,932	0.06	Mango
19	Bangladesh Jatioy Dal(Huda)	6	0	0		Date Tree
20	Bangladesh Gonotantrik Dal	5	0	3,564	0.01
21	Jatiyo Ekata Party	3	1	44,459	0.23	Inkpot
22	Peoples Democratic Party	3	0	5,703	0.02	Horse
23	Bangladesh Janat Mukti Party	3	0	3,363	0.01	Spade
24	Jatiotabadi Gonotantrik Chashi Dal	2	0	130	0.01	Elephant
25	United Republican Party	2	0	389	0.01	Pineaple
26	Bangladesh Gono Ajadi League	1	0	1,378	0.01	Aeroplane
27	Bangladesh Nejame Islami	1	0	1,575	0.01	Candle
28	Bangladesh Tati Samity	1	0	1,8340	0.01	Pitcher
29	National Republican Party	1	0	14,429	0.07	Cow
30	Independent	422	16	19,63,345	10.10%

Bangladeshi General Election, 1986

The election was held on 7 May 1986. Total number of voter=4,78,76,979; Cast votes=2,89,03,889 (60.31%); Valid casting votes=-----; Reserved Women Seats=30.^[6]

e • d **Summary of the 07 May 1986 Bangladeshi Jatiyo Sangshad election**
Serial	Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Votes	%	Symbol
1	Jatiya Party	299	251	1,76,80,133	68.44%	Plough
2	Bangladesh Awami League	256	76	74,62,157	26.15%	Boat
3	Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh	76	10	13,14,057	4.60%	Balance Scale
4	Communist Party of Bangladesh	9	5	2,59,728	0.91%
5	National Awami Party (Mozaffar)	10	2	3,68,979	1.29%
6	National Awami Party		5	3,68,979	1.29%
7	Bangladesh Krishok Shromik Awami League	6	3	1,91,107	0.67%
8	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (Rob)		4	7,25,303	2.54%
9	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (Siraj)	14	3	2,48,705	2.54%
10	Bangladesh Muslim League		4	4,12,765	1.45%	Hariken
11	Bangladesh Workers Party		3	1,51,828	0.53%
11	Independent	453	32	46,19,025	16.19%
12	Others			4,90,389	1.73%

Bangladeshi General Election, 1988

The election was held on 3 March 1988. Total number of voter=4,98,63,829; Cast votes=2,88,73,540 (54.93%); Valid casting votes=2,85,26,650; Reserved Women Seats=30.^[7]

e • d **Summary of the 03 March 1988 Bangladeshi Jatiyo Sangshad election**
Serial	Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Votes	%	Symbol
1	Jatiya Party	299	251	1,76,80,133	68.44%	Plough
2	Combined Opposition Party	269	19	32,63,340	12.63%
3	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (Siraj)	25	3	3,09,666	1.20%
4	Freedom Party	112	2	8,50,284	0.94%	Axe
5	Others	214	25	34,87,457	13.50%

Bangladeshi General Election, 1991

The election was held on 13 January 1991. Total number of voter=6,20,81,793; Cast votes=3,44,77,803 (55.45%); Valid casting votes=3,41,03,777; Reserved Women Seats=30.^[8]

e • d **Summary of the 27 February 1991 Bangladeshi Jatiyo Sangshad election**
Serial	Party	Total Candidates	Seats	Votes	%	Symbol
1	Bangladesh Nationalist Party	300	140	1,05,07,549	30.81%	Sheaf of Paddy
2	Bangladesh Awami League	264	88	1,02,59,866	30.08%	Boat
3	Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami	222	18	41,17,737	12.2%	Balance Scale
4	Jatiyo Party	272	35	40,63,537	11.92%	Plough
5	Jaker Party (JDP)	251	0	4,17,737	1.22%	Rose

Bangladeshi General Election, February 1996

Following boycotts by the main opposition party Bangladesh Awami League, BNP won the uncontested elections. However, amidst protests, they were made to cave into Awami League's original demands, dissolve the parliament, and hold elections under a neutral caretaker government after the enactment of the 13th amendment.

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Bangladesh Nationalist Party			300	+160
Total	11,776,481	100	300	0
Source: Nohlen et al.

Bangladeshi General Election, June 1996

Bangladesh Awami League won the general elections for the first time since 1973 by forming a coalition government, since they fell 5 seats short of a majority.

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
Bangladesh Awami League	15,882,792	37.4	146	New
Bangladesh Nationalist Party	14,255,986	33.6	116	-34
Jatiya Party	6,954,981	16.4	32	New
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh	3,653,013	8.6	3	New
Islami Oikkya Jote	461,517	1.1	1	New
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab)	97,916	0.2	1	New
74 other parties	662,451	1.6	0	0
Independents	449,618	1.1	1	-9
Invalid/blank votes	462,302	-	-	-
Total	42,880,576	100	300	0
Source: Nohlen et al.

^[9]

Bangladeshi General Election, 2001

BNP won two-third majority in the parliament and won the elections.

e • d **Summary of the 1 October 2001 Bangladesh Jatiyo Sangshad election results**
Parties	Votes	%	Seats
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Dal)	23,074,714	41.40	193
Bangladesh Awami League	22,310,276	40.02	62
Jatiya Party (Ershad) Includes candidates of the Islamic National Unity Front (Islami Jatiya Oikya Front)	4,023,962	7.22	14
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh	2,385,361	4.28	17
Jatiya Party (Naziur)	521,472	0.94	4
Islami Oikya Jote	312,868	0.56	2
Krishak Shramik Janata League	261,344	0.47	2
Jatiya Party (Manju)	243,617	0.44	1
Non-partisan and others	2,262,045	4.06	6
vacant		-	2
Total (turnout 74.9 %)	55,728,162	100.0	300
Rejected votes	441,871
Total votes	56,169,233
Registered voters	74,951,319
Source: Bangladesh Election Commission through Adam Carr and Daily Star

Bangladeshi General Election, 2008

Bangladesh Awami League won two-third majority in the parliament and won the elections.

e • d **Summary of the 9th Bangladeshi Jatiyo Sangshad election**
Alliance	Party	Votes	%	Seats	Change
Grand Alliance	Bangladesh Awami League	33,887,451	49.0%	230	+168
	Jatiya Party	4,867,377	7.0%	27	+16
	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal	429,773	0.6%	3	+2
	Workers Party of Bangladesh	214,440	0.3%	2	+1
	Liberal Democratic Party	161,372	0.2%	1	±0
Four Party Alliance	Bangladesh Nationalist Party	22,963,836	33.2%	30	–163
	Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh	3,186,384	4.6%	2	–15
	Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP	95,158	0.1%	1	–4
	Islami Oikya Jote	-	-	-	-
Independents and others		3,366,858	4.9%	4	–2
Total		69,172,649	99.99%	300
Source: Electoral Commission of Bangladesh seat-wise tally Election commission homepage

Bangladeshi General Election, 2014

The Awami League was declared victors in 127 of the 154 uncontested seats by default on 5 January 2014.^[10] Of the remaining uncontested seats, the Jatiya Party led by Rowshan Ershad won 20, the JSD won three, the Workers Party won two and the Jatiya Party (Manju) won one.^[11]

As a result of violence and the opposition boycott voter turnout was 22%.^[12]^[13] Results of 139 seats out of 147 were released, with the Awami League winning 105, the Jatiya Party winning 13, the Workers Party winning four, the JSD winning two and the Tarikat Federation and BNF winning one each.^[11] The remaining 8 constituencies election were suspended due to violence and re-election to be held.^[11] The newly elected MPs were sworn in on 9 January.^[14]

Party		Votes	%	Seats	±
	Awami League	36,173,883	79.14	234	+1
	Jatiya Party (Ershad)	5,167,698	11.31	34	+10
	Workers Party	939,581	2.06	6	+4
	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal	798,644	1.75	5	+2
	Jatiya Party (Manju)		0.3	2	+2
	Bangladesh Tarikat Federation		0.3	2	+2
	Bangladesh Nationalist Front		0.3	1	+1
	Independents		4.7	15	+13
	Repoll ordered	–	–	1	–
	Invalid/blank votes	1,551,585	–	–	–
Total		47,262,168	100	300	0
Registered voters/turnout		92,007,113	51.37	–	–
Sources: Parliament of Bangladesh, IFES

Presidential elections[edit]

From independence until constitutional reform in 1991, the president was elected by popular vote, although this only happened on three occasions - 1978, 1981 and 1986.

Following constitutional reform and a return to a parliamentary democracy in 1991, the office of president has been largely a ceremonial one. They are elected by a vote of MPs for a five-year term, although they remain in office until their successor is elected. Elections under this system have taken place in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2013.

References[edit]

^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-23
^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-25
^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-27
^ http://www.albd.org/aldoc/50years_16.htm
^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-30
^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-33
^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-36
^ Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-40
^ www.ecs.gov.bd
^ "Clashes and boycott mar Bangladesh election". BBC News. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Repolls ordered in 8 constituencies". bdnews24.com. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
^ Barry, Ellen (5 January 2014). "Low Turnout in Bangladesh Elections Amid Boycott and Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
^ Barry, Ellen (6 January 2014). "Bangladesh ruling party wins after boycotted vote". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^ "Newly elected Bangladesh MPs sworn in". Al Jazeera English.

External links[edit]

[1] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-23

[2] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-25

[3] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-27

[4] ttp://www.albd.org/aldoc/50years_16.htm

[5] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-30

[6] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-33

[7] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-36

[8] Bangladesher Nirbachan 1970-2001 by A S M Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Research and Publications, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003, page-40

[9] www.ecs.gov.bd

[autogenerated4-10] "Clashes and boycott mar Bangladesh election". BBC News. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.

[bdnews1-11] "Repolls ordered in 8 constituencies". bdnews24.com. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.

[NYT-12] Barry, Ellen (5 January 2014). "Low Turnout in Bangladesh Elections Amid Boycott and Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 May 2014.

[13] Barry, Ellen (6 January 2014). "Bangladesh ruling party wins after boycotted vote". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2014.

[14] "Newly elected Bangladesh MPs sworn in". Al Jazeera English.

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v t e Elections and referendums in Bangladesh
General elections	1920¹ 1923¹ 1926¹ 1930¹ 1934¹ 1945¹ 1946 1954 1962 1970² 1973 1979 1986 1988 1991 1996 (Feb) 1996 (Jun) 2001 2008 2014 2018
Presidential elections	1978 1981 1986
Referendums	1977 1985 1991
¹ As part of British India ² As part of Pakistan

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