Bangladeshi general election, 2008

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Bangladesh

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General elections are scheduled to be held in Bangladesh on 18 December 2008.^[1] They were originally scheduled for 21 January 2007, but postponed by two days due to demands by the opposition made in December 2006.^[2] They were put back by one day to 22 January,^[3] and subsequently postponed for an extended period due to opposition protests and boycott threats.

Riots erupted in October 2006 as the government of outgoing Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her Bangladesh National Party was to turn over power to a caretaker government of MK Hasan. At least three people died as thousands of demonstrators gathered on the streets in numerous towns; the opposition objected to Hasan because it felt he was too close to the BNP.^[4] President Iajuddin Ahmed became head of the caretaker government instead, but he was also opposed by Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina and her allies, who accused him of favoring Zia. On January 3, 2007, Hasina announced that the Awami League and its allies would boycott the election,^[5] but the Election Commission stated that the election would be held regardless of the boycott.^[6]

From January 4, 2007 until January 7, 2007 public protests were held to reach electoral reform; these protests brought the capital, Dhaka, to a standstill,^[7] and led to a state of emergency being declared on January 11, 2007 by Ahmed, who stepped down as chief advisor a few hours later. He also said that the elections would be delayed, and that Fazlul Haque would become acting chief adviser until Ahmed appointed a new chief adviser within a few days.^[8][9] Later on the same day, Fakhruddin Ahmed was appointed as the new chief adviser.^[10]

Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus subsequently announced the foundation of a new party called Citizens' Power.^[11] He has since rejected entering politics, claiming a lack of support.

On April 5, the county's chief election official declared that the elections would need to be pushed back at least eighteen months.^[12] Subsequently on April 12 Fakhruddin Ahmed, the Chief Advisor, announced in a televised speech to the nation that the next parliamentary elections would be held before the expiry of the year 2008.^[13] On July 15, 2007 the Election Commission of Bangladesh published a roadmap for the election, promising a compilation of voter lists by October 2008 and an official election call before the end of that year.^[14]

After the election, the parliament will have to elect the next President of Bangladesh; this should have taken place by 5 September 2007, when Iajuddin Ahmed's term expired, but was postponed due to the lack of an elected parliament.^[15]

On September 9, 2007 Fakhruddin Ahmed addressed the nation and recalled indoor politics with strict conditions to facilitate preparation for the election and reaffirmed his commitment to hold the election on time or earlier.^[16]

In early October, the Chief Electoral Commissioner stated elections could be held by October 2008, if the electoral roll could be compiled by July 2008.^[17] It was announced on 18 February 2008 that for the first time in the history of Bangladesh, prisoners will also be allowed to vote.^[18]

Talks with two smaller parties started on 22 May 2008, and the interim government stated it would hold talks with all parties in short time.^[19] However, both the Awami League and the BNP declined to attend these talks as long as their leaders were still detained.^[20] Voters lists were announced to be ready on 22 July 2008.^[21]

On 4 August 2008, local elections were held in a few places; they were decisively won by the Awami League.^[22]

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