A US think-tank has said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government, which won the January 7 election, is on a smooth path to governing the country after it won the recognition and cooperation of US officials. After the Awami League's landslide victory, some critics warned that Bangladesh was heading towards effective one-party rule. Awami League won 223 seats and independents loyal to it won another 62 seats. They argued that there was no meaningful opposition in Parliament.In an article published on the Atlantic Council's website on April 8, Gautam Lahiri, president of the Press Club of India, wrote that with the US government's pledge of support and cooperation, "the ship of Hasina's governance is now sailing in smooth seas."
Lahiri served as an independent foreign observer in the 2024 general elections of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina's Awami League formed the government for the fourth consecutive term and became the world's longest serving female head of government.Lahiri mentioned, 'His team's victory in January has been hailed in almost all quarters of the region. Sheikh Hasina set a rare instance where both China and India, one of the rival Asian superpowers, supported her leadership. Regional powers, irrespective of ideological and political leanings rushed to congratulate his administration.'Lahiri wrote, however, that the Awrayami League government had most of its eyes on the United States. It looks at how actively it has tried to promote 'democracy' in Bangladesh. However, the US State Department said the elections were not free or fair. US officials have recognized the new government and pledged to cooperate with it going forward.He said that the main opposition party BNP and its allies boycotted the election but not all opposition parties followed suit. Out of 44 registered parties, 27 contested the elections, along with about 1,900 independent candidates.
Official voter turnout (41.8 percent) was lower than last election but not unprecedented. Some see this low turnout as an indication that the opposition's boycott reflects public sentiment.He said the BNP boycott had reduced some voter turnout but it did not necessarily indicate people's rejection of the vote.
In the run-up to the polls, BNP's anti-election protests turned violent. It has been alleged that BNP loyalists were involved in setting fire to hundreds of vehicles. The BNP called for a 48-hour nationwide strike on the eve of the polls. Arsonists set fire to polling stations and a train, killing four.In this prevailing situation of panic, some voters had to stay at home on election day.
After Awami League's landslide victory, some critics warned that Bangladesh was effectively heading for one-party rule. Awami League won 223 seats and independents loyal to it won another 62 seats. They argued that there was no meaningful opposition in Parliament.He pointed to the large number of independent candidates, noting that by allowing senior party figures to contest as independents, the Awami League must have risked potential intra-party conflicts. 'Nevertheless, it prioritized giving voters real electoral options and expanding the diversity of voices in Parliament.'
He pointed out that a party achieving an overwhelming parliamentary majority through an electoral process is not equivalent to a one-party state.Awami League and BNP have achieved similar majority in the past without making Bangladesh a one-party state.
Similarly, India and Japan have experienced one-party hegemony without losing out to multi-party democracies. The main question is whether Awami League orchestrated this supermajority parliament or was it an inevitable consequence of BNP's election boycott.Lahiri said observers should have asked why BNP boycotted the elections.
He pointed out that even though the BNP's claim that there is no precedent for elections being free and fair under the Awami League, there is still no basis for the demand to reinstate the caretaker government.
The boycott only helped the ruling Awami League.“The BNP had higher hopes of creating a constitutional crisis within the caretaker regime than following the people's mandate through elections. BNP has placed Awami League in power through this suicidal decision.