Heavy security as bomb blasts disrupt Bangladesh’s pivotal election

A crude bomb explosion followed by a chase and counter-chase between rival supporters disrupted voting at Makhati Gurucharan High School in Munshiganj Sadar upazila on February 12, underscoring tensions surrounding Bangladesh’s landmark parliamentary election, NDTV reports.

The clash occurred at around 10 a.m., confirmed Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station, Md Mominul Islam. Police said immediate steps were taken to restore order and ensure that polling could continue.

The incident unfolded as Bangladesh began voting in what has been widely described as a historic and transformative election, marking a decisive political reset after the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The vote is the first national election in which neither Hasina nor former prime minister Khaleda Zia is participating.

Voters across the country are electing lawmakers in 299 constituencies while also casting ballots in a referendum on an 84-point constitutional reform package proposed by interim leader Muhammad Yunus. Political leaders have characterized the election as a pivotal moment for democracy following months of political transition.

While the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami have portrayed the polls as the beginning of a new democratic chapter, Sheikh Hasina dismissed the process as a “sham.”

Violence was reported in several areas as polling stations opened. In Gopalganj, a crude bomb exploded at a polling centre, injuring three people, including two Ansar members and a child. A second explosion at another polling booth in the same city wounded three more individuals, including a teenage girl and a presiding officer.

Authorities stated that, despite the explosions, voting continued without major disruption. Security forces intensified patrols around sensitive areas, and law enforcement agencies responded swiftly to stabilise the situation.

Clashes between rival political supporters were also reported in Dhaka’s Mirpur-10 area, where BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami backers engaged in confrontations. A heavy police deployment was required before order was restored.

The Munshiganj incident mirrored these tensions, with the crude bomb blast reportedly triggering a chase and counter-chase between supporters of two competing candidates.

The election was further overshadowed by allegations of voting irregularities. Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Khaleduz Zaman claimed instances of malpractice during the voting process.

“The situation is not good because without a polling agent, in a separate room, someone is sealing the papers. It is totally disappointing. I have seen this in some places. We were hopeful that Jamaat-e-Islami would win the election, but if this happens, how can we have hopes…” he said.

After casting his vote, BNP leader Tarique Rahman acknowledged reports of disturbances but expressed confidence in the security arrangements.

“We received some unexpected reports last night, which are not desirable at all. However, we have seen that the law enforcement agencies have dealt with every situation very strictly. I believe that if people come to the polling centres in large numbers today and cast their votes, any conspiracy can be thwarted,” Rahman stated.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus described voting day as Bangladesh’s new “birthday,” emphasising its symbolic importance. Meanwhile, Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman warned against electoral manipulation and pledged to accept the outcome only if the polls were “free and fair.”

Authorities deployed extensive police and paramilitary forces nationwide to maintain order, with nearly one million security personnel tasked with safeguarding polling stations. The majority of voting centres are equipped with surveillance cameras.

In response to heightened tensions, India’s Border Security Force placed the Fulbari Integrated Check Post along the Indo-Bangladesh border on high alert.

Despite incidents of violence and allegations of irregularities, officials maintained that voting proceeded peacefully across most of the country. The election remains a tightly contested race between the BNP-led alliance and the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition.

By Vafa Guliyeva