Editor's Pick | Hasina back as Bangladesh head

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday secured her fourth consecutive term as the country’s head as her Awami League Party won two-thirds seats in the general elections. By Sunday night, the party had won 200 out of the 300 seats in Bangladesh’s Parliament. The general election in Bangladesh witnessed a low turnout and was marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies. According to initial estimates, the turnout was around 40% but Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the figure could change after the final count. The 2018 general election had recorded an overall turnout of more than 80%. Former premier Khaleda Zia-led BNP members said the party plans to intensify its anti-government movement through a peaceful public engagement programme from Tuesday as it dubbed the polls as “fake.” The BNP boycotted the 2014 election too but joined the one in 2018. Fifteen other political parties also boycotted the latest election in the country. BNP also observed a 48-hour general strike which ended Monday morning. The party urged the voters to boycott the election to end what it calls the “fascist government”. Local reports also suggested that during the election, the usual poll-day fervour was missing. Prime Minister Hasina alleged that the opposition BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance does not believe in democracy. “People will vote as they wish. And we were able to create that voting environment. Although the BNP-Jamaat alliance has caused many incidents, including arson attacks,” she told reporters. The 76-year-old leader has been ruling Bangladesh since 2009. Bangladesh elections also have strong geopolitical implications for the country’s relations with India. Speaking to mediapersons, PM Hasina called India a “trusted friend” of Bangladesh. “We are very lucky... India is our trusted friend. During our Liberation War, they supported us; not only that, after 1975, when we lost our whole family — father, mother, brothers, everyone (in a military coup) — and only we two (Hasina and her younger sister Rehana) survived... they gave us shelter. So, we have our best wishes to the people of India,” she told reporters. Editorials A new high: On the Aditya-L1 mission and ISRO outreach Turmoil in Jharkhand: On Jharkhand Chief Minister’s troubles The Hindu Daily News Quiz The khejri is the State tree of which State? Bihar Punjab Rajasthan Haryana To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 08 January 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Hasina back as Bangladesh head Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday secured her fourth consecutive term as the country’s head as her Awami League Party won two-thirds seats in the general elections. By Sunday night, the party had won 200 out of the 300 seats in Bangladesh’s Parliament.  The general election in Bangladesh witnessed a low turnout and was marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies. According to initial estimates, the turnout was around 40% but Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the figure could change after the final count. The 2018 general election had recorded an overall turnout of more than 80%. Former premier Khaleda Zia-led BNP members said the party plans to intensify its anti-government movement through a peaceful public engagement programme from Tuesday as it dubbed the polls as “fake.” The BNP boycotted the 2014 election too but joined the one in 2018. Fifteen other political parties also boycotted the latest election in the country. BNP also observed a 48-hour general strike which ended Monday morning. The party urged the voters to boycott the election to end what it calls the “fascist government”. Local reports also suggested that during the election, the usual poll-day fervour was missing.  Prime Minister Hasina alleged that the opposition BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance does not believe in democracy. “People will vote as they wish. And we were able to create that voting environment. Although the BNP-Jamaat alliance has caused many incidents, including arson attacks,” she told reporters. The 76-year-old leader has been ruling Bangladesh since 2009. Bangladesh elections also have strong geopolitical implications for the country’s relations with India. Speaking to mediapersons, PM Hasina called India a “trusted friend” of Bangladesh. “We are very lucky... India is our trusted friend. During our Liberation War, they supported us; not only that, after 1975, when we lost our whole family — father, mother, brothers, everyone (in a military coup) — and only we two (Hasina and her younger sister Rehana) survived... they gave us shelter. So, we have our best wishes to the people of India,” she told reporters. Editorials [Arrow][A new high: On the Aditya-L1 mission and ISRO outreach]( [Arrow][Turmoil in Jharkhand: On Jharkhand Chief Minister’s troubles]( The Hindu Daily News Quiz The khejri is the State tree of which State? - Bihar - Punjab - Rajasthan - Haryana To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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