As Bangladesh gears up for its national elections in January 2024, the absence of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party in the South Asian nation,&nbsp;is raising questions about the political dynamics of the country.&nbsp;

The BNP's decision to boycott the 12th parliamentary elections next year, accusing the ruling Awami League of trying to rig the polls, comes on the heels of a series of developments, including clashes during a BNP rally, resulting in the imprisonment of top brass of Opposition leaders by the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;

Among those who were put behind bars was the 75-year-old BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who had been leading the party in Khaleda Zia's absence.&nbsp;Jamaat-e-Islami party chief Shafiqur Rahman is already in jail and is facing charges of violence.&nbsp;

BNP has been demanding to hold elections under a caretaker government but Hasina's party says it is against the law.

With the BNP opting out of the January elections, many are expressing concerns about the possibility of lopsided elections in Bangladesh, an argument which the Awami League was quick to brush off saying that many others are still in the race.

A total of 26 out of the 44 officially registered political parties have opted to participate in the elections while 14 parties have chosen to boycott.

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Bangladesh Parliament, also known as Jatiya Sangsad, has 350 seats.&nbsp;

Hasina's party has announced that it will field candidates for 263 seats in the 2024 elections. The Awami League has left 26 seats for the Jatiya Party, and six for its allies in the 14 Party Alliance.

<h2>Will Awami League be re-elected?&nbsp;</h2>

Former Indian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri, told WION that smaller parties may participate, but the absence of major players like BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which the court barred from elections, appears to favour the Awami League's return to power.

"Smaller parties will get some seats, but they won't be in competition with the Awami League," noted&nbsp;Ambassador Sikri.

There are some reports which suggest that Islamist groups will be on the rise if the BNP opts out.

It points to the vacuum in the BNP leadership, with Khaleda Zia sick and her eldest son Tarique Rahman living in exile in London since September 2008. There is apprehension that Islamist groups might get more active in the party.&nbsp;

Former diplomat Sikri expressed concerns about the continuing pace of radicalisation in Bangladesh, despite efforts by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to address the issue. She noted that BNP and Jamaat e-Islami, the party that has contributed to the rise of radicalisation in Bangladesh, are on the same page.&nbsp;

The former diplomat highlighted that the senior leaders from Jamaat had earlier occupied significant positions within the then-BNP-led government.&nbsp;

While expressing dismay over the violence seething in Bangladesh by the opposition as&nbsp;a train was being set on fire Tuesday (Dec 19) killing four, including a mother and her son, the former ambassador said, "BNP should be urged to take part in the elections as creating a ruckus will only lead to loss of infrastructure. There is a need for mature elections."&nbsp;

"The process of radicalisation at the grassroots level is a big factor in Bangladesh, which is worrying," said&nbsp;Sikri.

"Sheikh Hasina has taken action against it and I would hope that such action would continue but I do not know how much effect did it have on the process of radicalisation. Because you do have the banned Islamist groups which are underground. The police know about it and they take action against these groups."&nbsp;

Recalling the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka in 2016 where at least 22 people were reportedly killed by militants, Ambassador Sikri said, "After that, there was a lot of action."

"Students, farmers, and media should try to bring out the relationship between India and Bangladesh purely as a way of mutual benefit and not based on the role of religion and radicalisation. That should be completely kept out," the diplomat said. &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/2024-bangladesh-general-election-why-is-opposition-calling-for-a-boycott-of-the-january-election-671778">2024 Bangladesh general election: Why is opposition calling for a boycott of the January election?</a>

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Speaking over the upcoming elections, the former Secretary (East) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Anil Wadhwa told WION, "BNP is not a serious challenger to the ruling party despite them being aggressive in organising mass protests. Hence a boycott and a combination of the boycott with the top leadership not being in contention is only going to help the ruling party."

"Sheikh Hasina seems more confident of winning the elections as the date of the hustings approaches. The people of Bangladesh would also not like to see the economy suffer and protests paralyse&nbsp;the&nbsp;country."&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

As Bangladesh gears up for its national elections in January 2024, the absence of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party in the South Asian nation, is raising questions about the political dynamics of the country.

As Bangladesh gears up for its national elections in January 2024, the absence of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party in the South Asian nation, is raising questions about the political dynamics of the country. The BNP's decision to boycott the 12th parliamentary elections next year, accusing the ruling Awami League of trying to rig the polls, comes on the heels of a series of developments, including clashes during a BNP rally, resulting in the imprisonment of top brass of Opposition leaders by the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Among those who were put behind bars was the 75-year-old BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who had been leading the party in Khaleda Zia's absence. Jamaat-e-Islami party chief Shafiqur Rahman is already in jail and is facing charges of violence. BNP has been demanding to hold elections under a caretaker government but Hasina's party says it is against the law. With the BNP opting out of the January elections, many are expressing concerns about the possibility of lopsided elections in Bangladesh, an argument which the Awami League was quick to brush off saying that many others are still in the race. A total of 26 out of the 44 officially registered political parties have opted to participate in the elections while 14 parties have chosen to boycott. Also Read | Bangladesh protesters set train on fire amid opposition strike, four killed Bangladesh Parliament, also known as Jatiya Sangsad, has 350 seats. Hasina's party has announced that it will field candidates for 263 seats in the 2024 elections. The Awami League has left 26 seats for the Jatiya Party, and six for its allies in the 14 Party Alliance. Will Awami League be re-elected? Former Indian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri, told WION that smaller parties may participate, but the absence of major players like BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which the court barred from elections, appears to favour the Awami League's return to power. "Smaller parties will get some seats, but they won't be in competition with the Awami League," noted Ambassador Sikri. There are some reports which suggest that Islamist groups will be on the rise if the BNP opts out. It points to the vacuum in the BNP leadership, with Khaleda Zia sick and her eldest son Tarique Rahman living in exile in London since September 2008. There is apprehension that Islamist groups might get more active in the party. Former diplomat Sikri expressed concerns about the continuing pace of radicalisation in Bangladesh, despite efforts by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to address the issue. She noted that BNP and Jamaat e-Islami, the party that has contributed to the rise of radicalisation in Bangladesh, are on the same page. The former diplomat highlighted that the senior leaders from Jamaat had earlier occupied significant positions within the then-BNP-led government. While expressing dismay over the violence seething in Bangladesh by the opposition as a train was being set on fire Tuesday (Dec 19) killing four, including a mother and her son, the former ambassador said, "BNP should be urged to take part in the elections as creating a ruckus will only lead to loss of infrastructure. There is a need for mature elections." "The process of radicalisation at the grassroots level is a big factor in Bangladesh, which is worrying," said Sikri. "Sheikh Hasina has taken action against it and I would hope that such action would continue but I do not know how much effect did it have on the process of radicalisation. Because you do have the banned Islamist groups which are underground. The police know about it and they take action against these groups." Recalling the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka in 2016 where at least 22 people were reportedly killed by militants, Ambassador Sikri said, "After that, there was a lot of action." "Students, farmers, and media should try to bring out the relationship between India and Bangladesh purely as a way of mutual benefit and not based on the role of religion and radicalisation. That should be completely kept out," the diplomat said. Watch | 2024 Bangladesh general election: Why is opposition calling for a boycott of the January election? × Speaking over the upcoming elections, the former Secretary (East) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Anil Wadhwa told WION, "BNP is not a serious challenger to the ruling party despite them being aggressive in organising mass protests. Hence a boycott and a combination of the boycott with the top leadership not being in contention is only going to help the ruling party." "Sheikh Hasina seems more confident of winning the elections as the date of the hustings approaches. The people of Bangladesh would also not like to see the economy suffer and protests paralyse the country."

Lopsided elections ahead? BNP’s boycott casts shadow on Bangladesh’s polls

Six prominent presidential candidates in&nbsp;Madagascar&nbsp;told AFP on Monday they plan to boycott this week's elections, worsening a political crisis engulfing the country.

The six, who are part of a larger grouping of opposition candidates holding almost daily protests for weeks, said they will not take part in Thursday's vote and will urge their supporters not to cast their ballot.&nbsp;

"We will call (on people) not to go and vote," said presidential hopeful Marc Ravalomanana, 73, one of two former presidents to join calls for a boycott.&nbsp;

The Indian Ocean island nation has been shaken by a fierce battle between President Andry Rajoelina, who is running for re-election, and most opposition leaders.

Almost all the 12 opposition candidates in the running have led near daily, unauthorised marches in Antananarivo, for more than a month, protesting at what they have called an "institutional coup" that favours the incumbent.

The demonstrations that have in average drawn a few hundred supporters have been regularly dispersed by police.&nbsp;

On Saturday, security forces fired teargas and detained 11 protesters at yet another rally.&nbsp;

"I will not stand for election, that is very clear," said Hery Rajaonarimampianina, 65, another former president who was in the running to replace Rajoelina.&nbsp;

Last week, the head of the lower house of parliament, who leads a mediation group to find a way out of the crisis, called for the suspension of the presidential elections, to ensure "peace" and "harmony".

"The situation is deleterious. There is no calm, it is not the time to hold elections," said candidate Auguste Paraina, 69. The opposition grouping supports a suspension of the electoral process. &nbsp;

But a spokeswoman for Rajoelina called the request a "far-fetched idea".

The outgoing president held his last campaign rally in Antananarivo on Sunday in front of a fervent crowd of several thousand people donning t-shirts bearing his image.

"I'm going to win, that's for sure, and in the first round," he told AFP in an interview at the weekend.

'Rigged vote'&nbsp;

Rajoelina, 49, became Africa's youngest head of state in 2009 when he took power on the back of a coup.&nbsp;

After not running in the 2013 election due to international pressure, he was voted back into power in 2018 and has since held the reins in a country that remains among the poorest in the world despite vast natural resources.

The show of support for the president at the weekend "means nothing" said Roland Ratsiraka, 57, another opposition candidate, hinting at the common practice of paying people to attend political rallies in the country.&nbsp;

The European Union, the United States and other members of the international community have expressed "deep concern" at the political tensions and denounced the excessive use of force against the opposition.

A source at&nbsp;Madagascar's electoral commission said some irregularities have already been reported, including some would-be voters being pressured not to register.&nbsp;

The crisis erupted in September after Rajoelina resigned in line with the constitution in order to run for re-election.

The president of the Senate was supposed to take over but declined for "personal reasons", leaving the task to a "collegial government" headed by the prime minister, an ally of Rajoelina.

The move was accepted by the Constitutional Court, which also dismissed appeals to have Rajoelina's candidacy declared void over his dual French nationality, sparking opposition anger.

Detractors believe that under local laws the President was to lose Madagascan nationality and with it the ability to lead the country because of the naturalisation, which was revealed by the media in June.&nbsp;

In Itaosy, an eastern suburb of Antananarivo, a few hundred people joined a peaceful opposition march on Monday.

"It's a rigged vote," said Sandra Rafarasoa, 33, standing outside her modest repair shop for two-wheelers.&nbsp;

Voters in&nbsp;Madagascar&nbsp;were initially due to head to the polls on November 9, but the top court in October ordered that the elections be postponed after a presidential candidate was injured during a demonstration.&nbsp;

The date for a potential second round vote on December 20 was kept unchanged.

Thursday's election "will not take place", said Hajo Andrianainarivelo, 56, another opposition candidate.

Six prominent presidential candidates in Madagascar told AFP on Monday they plan to boycott this week's elections, worsening a political crisis engulfing the country.

Six prominent presidential candidates in Madagascar told AFP on Monday they plan to boycott this week's elections, worsening a political crisis engulfing the country. The six, who are part of a larger grouping of opposition candidates holding almost daily protests for weeks, said they will not take part in Thursday's vote and will urge their supporters not to cast their ballot. "We will call (on people) not to go and vote," said presidential hopeful Marc Ravalomanana, 73, one of two former presidents to join calls for a boycott. The Indian Ocean island nation has been shaken by a fierce battle between President Andry Rajoelina, who is running for re-election, and most opposition leaders. Almost all the 12 opposition candidates in the running have led near daily, unauthorised marches in Antananarivo, for more than a month, protesting at what they have called an "institutional coup" that favours the incumbent. The demonstrations that have in average drawn a few hundred supporters have been regularly dispersed by police. On Saturday, security forces fired teargas and detained 11 protesters at yet another rally. "I will not stand for election, that is very clear," said Hery Rajaonarimampianina, 65, another former president who was in the running to replace Rajoelina. Last week, the head of the lower house of parliament, who leads a mediation group to find a way out of the crisis, called for the suspension of the presidential elections, to ensure "peace" and "harmony". "The situation is deleterious. There is no calm, it is not the time to hold elections," said candidate Auguste Paraina, 69. The opposition grouping supports a suspension of the electoral process. But a spokeswoman for Rajoelina called the request a "far-fetched idea". The outgoing president held his last campaign rally in Antananarivo on Sunday in front of a fervent crowd of several thousand people donning t-shirts bearing his image. "I'm going to win, that's for sure, and in the first round," he told AFP in an interview at the weekend. 'Rigged vote' Rajoelina, 49, became Africa's youngest head of state in 2009 when he took power on the back of a coup. After not running in the 2013 election due to international pressure, he was voted back into power in 2018 and has since held the reins in a country that remains among the poorest in the world despite vast natural resources. The show of support for the president at the weekend "means nothing" said Roland Ratsiraka, 57, another opposition candidate, hinting at the common practice of paying people to attend political rallies in the country. The European Union, the United States and other members of the international community have expressed "deep concern" at the political tensions and denounced the excessive use of force against the opposition. A source at Madagascar's electoral commission said some irregularities have already been reported, including some would-be voters being pressured not to register. The crisis erupted in September after Rajoelina resigned in line with the constitution in order to run for re-election. The president of the Senate was supposed to take over but declined for "personal reasons", leaving the task to a "collegial government" headed by the prime minister, an ally of Rajoelina. The move was accepted by the Constitutional Court, which also dismissed appeals to have Rajoelina's candidacy declared void over his dual French nationality, sparking opposition anger. Detractors believe that under local laws the President was to lose Madagascan nationality and with it the ability to lead the country because of the naturalisation, which was revealed by the media in June. In Itaosy, an eastern suburb of Antananarivo, a few hundred people joined a peaceful opposition march on Monday. "It's a rigged vote," said Sandra Rafarasoa, 33, standing outside her modest repair shop for two-wheelers. Voters in Madagascar were initially due to head to the polls on November 9, but the top court in October ordered that the elections be postponed after a presidential candidate was injured during a demonstration. The date for a potential second round vote on December 20 was kept unchanged. Thursday's election "will not take place", said Hajo Andrianainarivelo, 56, another opposition candidate.

Six presidential candidates in Madagascar call for election boycott

Tunisia held its general elections on Saturday with the opposition calling for a boycott over the seemingly powerless nature of the mandate. According to local experts, the polls are being considered to be the final move for President Kais Saied to consolidate his power. Tunisia emerged as a democracy from the Arab Spring but since then, widespread corruption has become a norm for the country and the opposition complained that the elections were merely a part of the “coup”.

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The allegations came amid Tunisia’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding a possible $2 billion bailout package. A source close to the developments told AFP that the plan was on the verge of getting the green light but it was postponed till January 2023 at the request of the Tunisian government. As a result, a major part of the campaign by the ruling government focused on keeping a stable government in order to ensure the IMF funds.

Apart from the sparse meetings, Reuters reported that Tunisia did not witness much campaigning from the parties, pointing towards a lacklustre view of the elections. Even the population did not show enthusiasm in voting and local media reports claimed that turnout was quite low.

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In the past few years, Saied has changed the constitution to allow unlimited powers to the presidency and that has left the parliament with not much say in the matters. While the citizens did back his plans initially, economic crisis and corruption have changed the perspective quite a bit.

According to AFP, the other major change in the Tunisian parliament is the skewed sex ratio when it comes to legislators. While the previous system called for equal representation, the new rules have changed it completely and data suggests that women made up only 15 per cent of the total number of new candidates. 
&nbsp;

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Tunisia held its general elections on Saturday with the opposition calling for a boycott over the seemingly powerless nature of the mandate. According to local experts, the polls are being considered to be the final move for President Kais Saied to consolidate his power.

Tunisia held its general elections on Saturday with the opposition calling for a boycott over the seemingly powerless nature of the mandate. According to local experts, the polls are being considered to be the final move for President Kais Saied to consolidate his power. Tunisia emerged as a democracy from the Arab Spring but since then, widespread corruption has become a norm for the country and the opposition complained that the elections were merely a part of the “coup”. Also read | Twitter Files 6.0 exposes FBI's deep engagements with tech giant The allegations came amid Tunisia’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding a possible $2 billion bailout package. A source close to the developments told AFP that the plan was on the verge of getting the green light but it was postponed till January 2023 at the request of the Tunisian government. As a result, a major part of the campaign by the ruling government focused on keeping a stable government in order to ensure the IMF funds. Apart from the sparse meetings, Reuters reported that Tunisia did not witness much campaigning from the parties, pointing towards a lacklustre view of the elections. Even the population did not show enthusiasm in voting and local media reports claimed that turnout was quite low. Also read | US House committee likely to press criminal charges against Trump: Report In the past few years, Saied has changed the constitution to allow unlimited powers to the presidency and that has left the parliament with not much say in the matters. While the citizens did back his plans initially, economic crisis and corruption have changed the perspective quite a bit. According to AFP, the other major change in the Tunisian parliament is the skewed sex ratio when it comes to legislators. While the previous system called for equal representation, the new rules have changed it completely and data suggests that women made up only 15 per cent of the total number of new candidates.

Tunisia holds polls, opposition terms the exercise farce, calls for its boycott over economic crisis

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