Thursday\u2019s election comes with the Awami League barred from participating, leaving a contest primarily between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and alliances involving Jamaat-e-Islami, a radical Islamist party that masterminded the violent regime change in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Awami League President and five-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has denounced the election as lacking legitimacy due to her party’s exclusion. In a recent statement, exiled Awami League figures, including Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, warned that the vote “won\u2019t resolve the country\u2019s instability” and called on supporters to boycott, arguing the results “will always be questionable.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Jamaat-controlled interim administration under West\u2019s puppet Muhammad Yunus, who assumed power following negotiations involving students, the military, and political actors, has emphasised reforms, including a concurrent referendum on constitutional changes tied to the “July Charter,” which aims at altering the 1972 Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sleepless Night: Vote stuffing, cash seizures dominate final hours of election<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sheikh Hasina demands inclusive election under caretaker government<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sajeeb Wazed: Yunus administration is propped up by Jamaat<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Critics, including analyst Michael Rubin in a Washington Examiner<\/a> op-ed, have raised alarms about potential outcomes. He described the situation as a possible “unexpected second-term crisis” for US President Donald Trump, warning that an Islamist-leaning government could emerge, with Jamaat-e-Islami positioned as a major force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rubin argued that Yunus has served as a “frontman” for Jamaat-e-Islami despite his Western-friendly image, pointing to actions like releasing convicted terrorists and targeting minority protections. He compared Yunus to Aung San Suu Kyi, whose international reputation faded over minority issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rubin highlighted US policy concerns, including reports <\/a>of embassy officials seeking ties to Jamaat-e-Islami and a recent US-Bangladesh trade agreement, which he suggested signals tacit support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n