Voting for Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections took place on Thursday amid political tension and incidents of violence in parts of the country, as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) pledged to strengthen ties with neighbouring nations if voted to power.
BNP spokesperson Mahdi Amin said the party aims to maintain strong and balanced relations with all countries, particularly those in the region. Emphasising people-to-people connectivity, he said a future BNP government would focus on expanding cooperation in trade, business, culture, education and healthcare, while ensuring that bilateral ties are based on fairness, justice and equality.
Responding to questions about relations with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amin said Bangladesh values good relations with its neighbours. On whether former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would influence ties with India, he stated that any future course of action would reflect the will of the Bangladeshi people.
He added that if the BNP forms the government, restoring law and order would be a top priority. The party, he said, is committed to upholding accountability, transparency, human rights and freedom of expression. Addressing concerns about minority protection, Amin said the BNP’s ideology of “Bangladeshi nationalism” supports equal protection and rights for all citizens, regardless of religion.
Violence mars polling day
Meanwhile, election day witnessed multiple incidents of violence across the country. In Dhaka-8 constituency, Nasiruddin Patwari, a candidate of the 11-party alliance and leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP), was reportedly attacked while visiting a polling station. He later alleged that supporters of BNP candidate Mirza Abbas were involved in vote theft and the assault.
Tensions were also reported in Khulna district, where a BNP leader, Mohibuzzaman Kochi, died during clashes near a polling centre. According to local reports citing eyewitnesses, a scuffle broke out between supporters of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, leading to injuries. Kochi was later declared dead at a hospital.
In another incident, three people were injured in a cocktail bomb attack at a polling station in Gopalganj district during voting hours.
The elections are being held amid rising political confrontation, with several parties raising concerns about security and the overall fairness of the polls. Authorities have deployed law enforcement personnel across sensitive areas as voting continues.
(With inputs from syndicated feed)
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