Awami League Supporters in a Boycotting Mode Toward National Elections
As Bangladesh heads toward its next national election, supporters of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina effectively the entire Awami League voter base are boycotting the polls in protest against her removal from power and the party’s ban, leaving millions politically sidelined.
In long-standing Awami League strongholds such as Gopalganj, once considered the heartland of Sheikh Hasina’s support, the party’s absence has created widespread political paralysis. For generations, local political life revolved around the Awami League, but its sudden exclusion from the electoral field has fundamentally reshaped voter behavior, replacing participation with disengagement.
Some lifelong supporters say they feel unfairly punished for the actions of party leaders. Many express frustration that ordinary voters are now excluded from the political process, despite having no direct role in decisions made by the former government. As a result, voter apathy appears to be growing among sections of Sheikh Hasina’s base.
The absence of the Awami League’s iconic election symbol has further reinforced the sense of political rupture. Sheikh Hasina was forced from office in 2024 following mass protests and a violent crackdown. She later left the country, and her party was subsequently outlawed, reshaping Bangladesh’s political order ahead of the polls.
With the ruling party removed from contention, many voters say they are unfamiliar with the candidates now contesting their constituencies. Some admit they have little information about the alternatives and are unsure whether they will participate in the election at all.
Meanwhile, opposition forces such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami are working to expand their presence in areas once firmly controlled by the Awami League. The shifting alliances and unfamiliar candidates have created a volatile and uncertain electoral environment as Bangladesh approaches one of its most consequential elections in years.
Source: The Manila Times
