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Elections –  Voting is underway across Bangladesh in a closely watched general election, marking the first national poll since the removal of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina following widespread protests two years ago.

Steady Voting Despite Isolated Disruptions

Polling stations opened at 7:30am local time in 299 of the country’s 300 parliamentary constituencies and are scheduled to close at 4:30pm. One constituency’s vote was cancelled after the death of a candidate.

By noon, 32.88 percent of ballots had been cast at approximately 32,000 polling centres nationwide, according to officials. The update was delivered shortly before 1pm at a press briefing by the Election Commission.

Senior Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said voting continued uninterrupted across the country, despite scattered incidents of unrest. “No polling centre has been shut down. There is no alarming situation,” he told reporters.

Ballot counting is expected to begin shortly after voting concludes.

Referendum Held Alongside Parliamentary Race

The 13th parliamentary election is being conducted simultaneously with a nationwide referendum on an extensive 84-point reform proposal. Authorities have described the dual vote as a significant moment in the country’s political transition.

The political contest is largely between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its former ally Jamaat-e-Islami. The Awami League, previously led by Hasina, is not participating after being dissolved last year by the interim administration headed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

Yunus has pledged to transfer authority promptly to an elected government once results are finalized.

Massive Security Deployment Across the Country

Security has been a central focus of the election process. Nearly 900,000 to one million law enforcement personnel have been deployed, making it the largest security operation in Bangladesh’s electoral history.

Armoured Personnel Carriers and Rapid Action Teams have been stationed at strategic locations, particularly in the capital, Dhaka. Police previously identified a large number of polling centres in the city as vulnerable, though military officials classified only two as high-risk.

For the first time, drones and body-worn cameras are being used to monitor polling stations. Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud said the measures were intended to ensure transparency and maintain order.

International observers from 45 countries and organisations are monitoring the vote.

Reports of Violence in Several Districts

Despite heightened security, several incidents of violence were reported during the morning hours.

In Gopalganj, three people — including a 13-year-old girl — were injured in what authorities described as a hand bomb attack near a polling centre. Two members of the Ansar auxiliary force were among the injured. Officials said the blast caused minor injuries and voting resumed shortly afterward.

Another disruption occurred in the Munshiganj-3 constituency, where multiple crude bombs exploded outside a polling station. Voting was halted for around 15 minutes before resuming. Officials said the explosions created panic among voters but did not result in major injuries.

In Khulna, a local BNP leader, Mohibuzzaman Kochi, 55, died following an altercation outside a polling centre. The BNP alleged that he was fatally injured after being pushed by a Jamaat-e-Islami activist, while the opposing side claimed he fell ill during the confrontation. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Allegations and Overnight Clashes

Tensions were also reported overnight in several districts. In Joypurhat, police detained three individuals accused of distributing photocopied ballot papers among party activists.

In Sylhet’s Balaganj area, clashes reportedly broke out after allegations of ballot stamping before official voting hours. Security forces intervened to restore order.

In Dhaka, a Jamaat leader was arrested on suspicion of vote buying. Separate reports indicated crude bombs were detonated near several polling centres hours before voting began.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman dismissed some of the claims circulating on social media, calling them rumours and urging citizens to remain calm.

Voter Participation and New Initiatives

According to Election Commission data, Bangladesh has nearly 127 million registered voters. First-time voters account for approximately 3.58 percent of the electorate.

In a first for the country, around 800,000 expatriate Bangladeshis registered to cast ballots through an IT-based postal voting system.

A total of 1,755 candidates representing 50 political parties, along with 273 independents, are contesting the election. The BNP has fielded 291 candidates, the highest among participating parties. There are 83 female candidates.

Both interim authorities and political leaders have appealed for restraint and peaceful participation. Yunus described the polling day as a moment of national renewal and encouraged citizens to take part in both the parliamentary vote and the reform referendum.

Results are expected to shape the next phase of Bangladesh’s political landscape as the country moves beyond a turbulent chapter in its recent history.