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Democracy
in Bangladesh won a great victory in the general election
of 1 October 2001. Termed as the most peaceful, free
and fair election ever held in the country by national
and international observers alike, it was the culmination
of the efforts by non-party caretaker government, headed
by Mr. Justice Latifur Rahman, former Chief Justice
of Bangladesh Supreme Court.In accordance with the constitution
of Bangladesh, which provides for the Care Taker Government
following the expiry of the term of the parliament to
organize peaceful, free and fair general election Mr.
Justice Rahman took oath of office of the Chief Adviser
of caretaker government on 15 July 2001.A record number
of voters irrespective of age, gender and religious
background turned out during the polls. In all nearly
75% of all voters and over 70% of women voters cast
their ballots. In the election Four Party alliance led
by Begum Khaleda
Zia, Chairperson of Bangladesh
Nationalist Party (BNP) achieved a landslide victory.
Begum Zia had become first women Prime Minister of the
country in 1991 following the victory of BNP in the
general election that year and people again returned
her to power with two third majority in 2001 general
election. Begum Khaleda Zia was sworn in on 10 October
2001 as the Prime Minister of the Government of the
People’s Republic of Bangladesh for the third
time.
Elections
organized by the Election Commission since Independence
of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh achieved freedom on December 16, 1971 through
a historic nine-month bloody war of liberation. Since
independence, the people of the Republic have cast their
votes directly in the following elections organized
by the Bangladesh Election Commission.
| a.
The National Level Elections. |
i)
7 Parliamentary Elections held in 1973, 1979,1986,
1988,1991 and on 15th February, 1996 and 12th
June, 1996.
ii) 3 Presidential Elections held in 1978, 1981
and 1986.
iii) 3 Referendums held in 1977, 1985 and 1991 |
| |
| b.
The Local Bodies Elections : |
i)
6 Union Parishads (Union Councils) Elections in
1973, 1977, 1983-84, 1988, 1992 and 1997.
ii) 2 City Corporations Elections in 1988 and
1994.
iii) 5 Pourashava or Municipality Elections held
in 1973,1977,1984,1989 and 1993.
iv) 1 Hill District Council Elections held in
1989
v) 2 Upazila Parishads (460 Upazilas) Elections
held in 1985 and 1990. |
Following
its war of independence in 1971 and the establishmentof
a new Constitution in 1972, Bangladesh held its first
parliamentary election in March 1973, which solidified
the Awami League's ruling majority. In August 1975,
the elected government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who
was long the most prominent leader in the nationalist
movement was overthrown in the first of a series of
military coups followed by military rule which plagued
the country for the next fifteen years. In this first
coup, Sheikh Mujib and most of his family were murdered.
His daughter,Sheikh Hasina, was out of the country and
survived, later becoming the Awami League chief.
In 1981, President Ziaur Rahman, an army general (and
founder of the BNP) who came to power in the turmoil
following the death of Sheikh Mujib, was himself assassinated.
His party's mantle passed to his wife, Begum Khaleda
Zia. In 1982, General H.M. Ershad, then Army Chief of
General Staff, seized power and declared himself President
in December 1982.
He remained President for eight years, formingthe Jatiya
Party and attempting to legitimize his rule through
political manipulation. He was forced to resign in December
1990, following months of popular demonstrations.
In February 1991, the BNP won a parliamentary plurality
of 140 seats in general elections and formed the government,
with Begum Khaleda Zia becoming Prime Minister. The
Awami League, Jatiya Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami formed
the bulk of the opposition .
Fifth
National Parliament Election 1991 Result of Bangladesh
| Party |
Rajshahi |
Khulna |
Barisal |
Dhaka |
Sylhet |
Chittagong |
| Bangladesh
Awami League |
15 |
16 |
11 |
27 |
7 |
12 |
| Bangladesh
Communist party |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Bangladesh
Krisak Sromik Awami League |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
| Bangladesh
Nationalist Party |
26 |
13 |
7 |
55 |
1 |
36 |
| Bangladesh
Workers Party |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Gonotantry
Party |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Islami
Oikya Jote |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Jamat-E-Islami
Bangladesh |
7 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Jatiya
Party |
18 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
5 |
| National
Democratic Party |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Independent |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Bangladesh
National Awami Party (NAP-Mojaffar) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Jatiya
Samajtantrik Dal(Shajahan Siraj)) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Seventh National Parliament Election 1996 Result
of Bangladesh.
| Party |
Rajshahi |
Khulna |
Barisal |
Dhaka |
Sylhet |
Chittagong |
| Bangladesh
Awami League |
18 |
22 |
11 |
59 |
13 |
23 |
| Bangladesh
Nationalist Party |
32 |
12 |
5 |
30 |
3 |
34 |
| Islami
Oikya Jote |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Jamat-E-Islami
Bangladesh |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Jatiya
Party |
21 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
| Jatiya
Samajtantrik Dal(Rob) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Independent |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Election
2001
| Constitution |
1972 |
| Executive(s) |
Prime Minister Khaleda
Zia (BNP);
took office 10
October 2001 after winning a majority of seats
in the 1 October National Assembly elections. |
| Legislature |
Unicameral:
Jatiya
Samsada
(330 seats; 300 directly elected, 30 reserved
for women candidates who are selected by members
of parliament; most recent elections, 1 October 2001)
Bengal
Nationalist Party (BNP):
191
Bangladesh
Awami League (AL):
58
Jamaat-e-Islami
Bangladesh
(JIB): 18
National Party
– Ershad (NP-E): 14
National Party – Naziur (NP-N): 4
Islamic Unity Front
(IUF): 2
National Party – Manju (NP-M): 1
Peasants' and Workers' People's League (PWPL):
1
Non-partisans: 6
Vacant: 2
|
| Judiciary |
Supreme Court |
Electoral
Units
| Division
Offices - 6 |
District
Offices - 83 |
Upazila
- 487 |
| Pouroshava
- 225 |
Thana/Union
- 4468 |
Voter
Area - 96,980 |
Number
of Voters as on April 30, 2000
| Division
Name |
Number
of voters as per the current draft voter list
|
%
of growth rate |
| Male
voters |
Female
voters |
Total |
| Rajshahi |
92,94,135 |
90,78,630 |
1,83,72,765 |
21.66% |
| Khulna |
44,20,472 |
42,90,475 |
87,10,947 |
16.53% |
| Barisal |
26,19,732 |
24,66,004 |
50,85,736 |
31.64% |
| Dhaka |
1,23,72,560 |
1,12,20,998 |
2,35,93,558 |
26.19% |
| Sylhet |
23,32,679 |
23,03,595 |
46,36,274 |
19.29% |
| Chittagong |
73,96,680 |
68,79,789 |
1,42,76,469 |
28.30% |
| Total
|
3,84,36,262 |
3,62,39,495 |
7,46,75,749 |
24.16% |
Latest
Result Summary by Parties
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