DHAKA
\nBangladesh\u2019s Islamist-led coalition, which lost its chance to form the country\u2019s next government in this week\u2019s polls, submitted complaints to the Election Commission on Sunday, challenging results in 32 constituencies.
\nThe Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman \u2014 the scion of one of the country\u2019s most influential political dynasties \u2014 celebrated a sweeping victory in the South Asian nation of 170 million after general elections on Thursday.
\nThey were the first polls since a 2024 uprising ousted the autocratic government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
\nThe BNP alliance won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, according to the Election Commission.
\nJamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman conceded on Saturday, saying his party would \u201cserve as a vigilant, principled, and peaceful opposition.\u201d
\nNewly elected lawmakers are expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, after which Rahman is set to become the country\u2019s next prime minister.
\nBut on Sunday, Jamaat officials submitted their complaints.
\n\u201cWe have identified 32 constituencies where our candidates were unfairly defeated,\u201d said senior Jamaat official Hamidur Rahman Azad.
\n\u201cThe election day began smoothly, but the ending was not what we had expected. Fake votes, the circulation of black money (bribes), threats, assaults, and attacks marred the atmosphere.\u201d
\nPolice records show that political clashes during the campaign period left five people dead and more than 600 injured.
\nBut despite weeks of turbulence ahead of the polls, voting day passed without major unrest and the country has so far responded to the results with relative calm.
\nAt least two people were killed in post-poll clashes, while scattered acts of vandalism and assaults were reported in several districts, police said.
\nBoth Jamaat?e?Islami and ally the National Citizen Party (NCP) \u2014 formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising \u2014 reported attacks on their supporters.
\nNCP loyalists marched through Dhaka University campus against the BNP on Friday.
\nPolice spokesman AHM Shahadat Hossain said that police were deployed to keep the peace.
\n\u201cOver 150,000 police personnel were trained to tackle pre- and post-election violence,\u201d Hossain said.
\nThe Election Commission said turnout was 59 percent across 299 of the 300 constituencies where voting was held.
\nOnly seven women were directly elected, although a further 50 seats reserved for women will be allocated to parties according to their share of the vote.
\nFour members of minority communities won seats, including two Hindus \u2014 a population that makes up roughly seven percent in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DHAKA Bangladesh\u2019s Islamist-led coalition, which lost its chance to form the country\u2019s next government in this week\u2019s polls, submitted complaints to the Election Commission on Sunday, challenging results in 32 constituencies. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman \u2014 the scion of one of the country\u2019s most influential political dynasties \u2014 celebrated a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":531604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-531584","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n