Bangladesh votes in landmark election

Bangladeshis lined up outside polling booths as voting began for what many say is a pivotal election for the South Asian nation, marking a return to democracy after the 2024 ouster of long-time premier Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-driven uprising.



Analysts say a decisive result is crucial for steady governance in the nation of 175 million, as the deadly anti-Hasina protests triggered months of unrest and disrupted key industries, including the garments sector, the world’s second-largest exporter.



It is the world's first election after a revolution led by under-30s, or Gen Z, to be followed by Nepal next month.



The contest pits two coalitions led by former allies, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, with opinion polls ​giving an edge to the BNP.



In Dhaka, the capital, people queued up outside voting booths before polls opened at 7:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT), including eager participants like Mohammed Jobair Hossain, 39, who said he last voted in 2008.



Hasina’s Awami League is banned, and she remains in self-imposed exile in long-term ally India, opening the window for China to expand its influence in Bangladesh as Dhaka's ties with New Delhi deteriorate.