DHAKA — Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in a Sunday election widely panned as “one-sided” amid an opposition boycott, allegations of rigging, violent incidents and low voter turnout.

Initial results released by the Election Commission and broadcast on state TV early on Monday showed the ruling party securing 223 out of 299 seats for which votes were ultimately taken. Independent candidates — many of whom were selected from the Awami League and associated groups — took 62 seats, while the Jatiya Party won 11 and others claimed three.

After voting ended, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said that around 40% of the nearly 120 million eligible citizens exercised their voting rights, far below the roughly 80% turnout of 2018. The previous polls, marred by allegations of manipulation denied by the government, had included the participation of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

This time, the BNP refused to take part, calling the election a “sham” and demanding that polls should be administered by a neutral caretaker government.

Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the Awami League, told reporters that the voting was peaceful and marked a victory for the people. “The election will further strengthen advancement of democracy,” he said.

After casting her own ballot on Sunday, Hasina said that she was “trying my best to ensure that democracy should continue in this country.”

On the other hand, Abdul Moyeen Khan, a member of the BNP’s standing committee, hailed the public for answering his party’s call to boycott the polls, citing the low turnout by midday. “Your TV cameras tell the story,” he told the media at his residence.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also cheered the boycott and said that in reality not more than 2% of voters showed up — a claim that could not be confirmed. “Our boycott has paid off,” he told a virtual news conference after the polls closed. “People have boycotted this dummy election of the government.”

Officials sort paper ballots after counting them during the 12th general election in Dhaka on Jan. 7.   © Reuters

Still, in the absence of any significant challenger, Hasina cruised to victory, setting herself up for another five years in office. The Awami League’s ratio of total votes remained to be seen, after it claimed 88.67% in 2018, 72.41% in 2014 and 48% in 2008. The BNP also boycotted the 2014 contest.

Despite the ballots being filled with ostensibly like-minded candidates, tensions flared.

Many of Sunday’s candidates, especially independents and those from the Jatiya Party, alleged that the voting was manipulated. Videos and pictures shared on social media appeared to show ballot-stuffing and children voting, although these could not be independently verified.

Numerous candidates withdrew from the vote, claiming there were irregularities and an unfair environment as ruling party supporters allegedly took control of polling centers.

Perhaps in an attempt to show it was on top of things, the Election Commission canceled the candidacy of Mostafizur Rahman, a ruling party contender in Chittagong, for allegedly threatening members of law enforcement. Police also arrested more than 40 people over alleged irregularities and for creating obstacles to casting votes, the commission said.

At least one ruling party supporter was killed, allegedly by backers of an independent candidate. Dozens were injured and crude bombs were hurled at multiple polling stations. Voting was suspended at over 20 locations.

While Hasina — who was also prime minister from 1996 to 2001 — had no trouble winning on Sunday, many believe that her next term will be more difficult, partly because of a potential backlash to the election.

The U.S. had been demanding a fair race and imposed visa restrictions on anyone deemed to undermine that objective.

Some have warned that Washington might follow up with trade sanctions and that U.S. allies such as the European Union could follow suit. The U.S. and Europe are the top buyers of Bangladesh-made garments — the main foreign-currency-earning industry of a country that has seen a steep drop in its reserves from around $48 billion in August 2021 to somewhere around $20 billion, depending on the calculation method.