'Sham election staged by killer Yunus': Hasina seeks its cancellation
What's the story
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for the annulment of the national elections, calling it a "sham election staged by the killer, fascist Muhammad Yunus." She also demanded Yunus's resignation. In her statement, Hasina thanked "the masses at all levels, including mothers, sisters and minority communities" for rejecting what she described as a fraudulent exercise organized by Yunus.
Accusations
Election violated people's voting rights: Hasina
"Today's so-called election organized by Yunus, who took power through illegal and unconstitutional means, was essentially a carefully planned farce," Hasina said. She alleged that the election violated "the people's voting rights, democratic values and the spirit of the constitution," adding it was held "without the Awami League and without voters." The Awami League, led by Hasina, is absent from this election for the first time in 30 years after its registration was suspended by the Bangladesh Election Commission.
Election boycott
First polls since Hasina's ouster in 2024
Hasina also cited the Bangladesh Election Commission's briefing, which said voter turnout till 11:00am was only 14.96%. She claimed this low participation at peak voting time shows that the public boycotted and rejected this election without the Awami League. The 2026 polls are significant as they are the first since a student-led movement toppled Hasina's government in 2024, forcing her to flee to India.
Party ban
Awami League banned from contesting elections
The party was banned after Hasina was tried in absentia and sentenced to death in November 2025 for alleged crimes against humanity over her crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. She was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, mostly students, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest. She denied all charges, calling the trial "biased and politically motivated."