Politics
Bangladesh votes today, as Islamabad and Delhi keep close watch
BANGLADESH is going to the polls today in what many here describe as the most consequential election in the country’s recent history. The ballot comes after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 5 , 2024 and went to India amid mounting public anger following a Gen Z-led street movement against her. Delhi and Islamabad are closely monitoring developments, as both have a stake in the outcome.
More than 127.7 million registered voters are casting ballots for 299 of the 300 directly elected seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh’s national parliament. Elections for one seat have been postponed due to the death of a candidate. The Jatiya Sangsad has an additional 50 reserved seats for women and four seats for technocrats. The outcome is expected to determine not only the country’s next government but also the direction of its constitutional order following months of political upheaval.
The election carries significance beyond Bangladesh’s borders. India, which maintained close ties with Ms Hasina’s government, has faced growing criticism among sections of the Bangladeshi public in recent months. At the same time, analysts say the evolving political landscape could create new diplomatic space for Pakistan.
Islamabad has publicly maintained that it is not backing any particular party and will work with whichever government the Bangladeshi electorate chooses. “We criticise India as its policies have irked us”, a young university student in Dhaka told The News. “On the contrary, Pakistan, which was disliked by the state during Hasina’s tenure, is welcomed by the people”.
“We love Pakistani dramas and dream of visiting Pakistan”, a young mother, Sanjida Tasneem, said while speaking to this correspondent. She also hoped for good relations with Pakistan after the elections, whoever comes into power.
Voters face a contest centred on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, effectively led by Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and its alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. The Jamaat itself is led by Dr Shafiqur Rahman, who is also leading another alliance. The vote is widely seen not only as the 13th general election but also as a referendum on the interim administration formed under Chief Executive Professor Muhammad Yunus after Ms Hasina’s departure.
The interim government introduced a series of constitutional and legal measures during its tenure. While it enjoyed public backing, its constitutional standing remained in dispute because Ms Hasina had not formally resigned before leaving the country. The new parliament is expected to decide whether to formally ratify those measures.
Several factors make this election unusual. The Awami League, which governed for nearly 15 consecutive years, is not participating after its registration was suspended. The Jamaat, long a polarising force in Bangladeshi politics due to controversy over its role during the 1971 war, is contesting prominently. Even if it does not secure power, a strong performance could reshape the country’s opposition politics.
Ten new parties are also participating. Among them, the National Citizen Party, linked to youth activists involved in anti-government mobilisation, has emerged as a visible presence. However, citing organisational constraints and apparently limited candidate strength, it has extended support to the Jamaat-led alliance.
According to the Bangladesh Election Commission, 1,981 candidates are contesting the election. Of these, 1,732 are party nominees and 249 are independents. The BNP has fielded 288 candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami has fielded 224.
In South Asia, elections rarely remain confined within national borders. Whoever wins the general elections, the outcome will not only impact the people and future of Bangladesh but will also affect regional politics.
Originally published in The News
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a significant statement aimed at easing regional tensions, assuring that Iran will not launch missile strikes or take aggressive action against neighbouring countries.
The president said the decision was taken with the approval of the Interim Leadership Council, stressing that Iran’s policy of non-aggression will remain in place as long as no attacks are carried out on Iranian territory.
Commitment to Peace
In a message shared on social media, Pezeshkian said Iran harbours no hostility toward regional countries and expressed regret over the recent tensions affecting neighbouring states.
“We harbor no hostility toward regional countries and apologize for the recent situation with our neighbors,” the president said.
Sovereignty Will Be Protected
While calling for peace, Pezeshkian also emphasized that Iran’s sovereignty and national security would not be compromised.
He added that diplomatic efforts and mediation aimed at ending the ongoing conflict should be led by the countries that initiated the confrontation.
Regional De-escalation Efforts
The statement comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following military exchanges involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, prompting calls from several countries for de-escalation and dialogue to restore regional stability.
DUBAI: Dubai has announced the implementation of a new public safety law introducing stricter regulations for public spaces and events, with fines ranging from AED500 ($136) to AED1 million ($272,000), authorities said.
Under the legislation, repeat violations within one year could result in fines of up to AED2 million, officials added.
The new law, which takes effect across the emirate on June 1, sets out enhanced safety requirements for public venues and gatherings.
The rules were issued by Dubai’s Ruler, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
According to the regulations, public venues and events must ensure safe entry and exit routes, adequate lighting, and capacity limits to prevent overcrowding.
Event organisers will be required to provide firefighting equipment, emergency evacuation plans, first aid facilities, and trained security personnel.
Compliance with safety instructions at public venues has been made mandatory.
The law also requires adherence to designated swimming times at beaches and prohibits access to restricted areas.
Possession of explosives or fireworks without a permit is banned, as is the use and transport of hazardous or flammable materials.
India has allowed an Iranian warship to dock as a humanitarian gesture, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Saturday, after the US sank another Iranian navy vessel off neighbouring Sri Lanka.
The Lavan docked at India’s southern port of Kochi on Wednesday, the same day the US submarine struck Iranian navy frigate Dena, after an urgent request from Tehran, an Indian government source told Reuters.
US President Donald Trump has said destroying the Iranian navy is one aim of the war he and Israel launched against the Islamic Republic a week ago.
The Lavan – an amphibious landing vessel, according to the US Naval Institute’s online news site – and two other ships “were coming in for a fleet review and then they got, in a way, caught on the wrong side of the events,” Jaishankar told the annual Raisina Dialogue event.
“I think we really approached it from the point of view of humanity, of other than whatever the legal issues were,” he said. “I think we did the right thing.”
At least 87 people were killed in the US attack on the Dena in Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone, 19 nautical miles off the coast, outside its maritime boundaries.
India received the docking request for the Lavan on February 28, the day the Iran war started, the source said late on Friday, adding that the request “was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues”.
Its 183 crew members have been accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi, said the source, who asked not to be identified citing confidentiality.
The Dena was on its way back from a naval exercise organised by India, according to the drill’s website and Sri Lankan officials.
Sri Lankan authorities said on Friday that they were escorting the Iranian naval ship Booshehr to a harbour on the eastern coast and moving most of its crew to a navy camp near Colombo.
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