Bangladesh Polls: BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami head for neck-and-neck contest

DHAKA: A recent public survey ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12 predicts a close contest between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance and the 11-party coalition led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

According to Bangladeshi media, the survey indicates that the BNP alliance may secure 44.1% of votes, while the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition could garner 43.9%.

The survey covered 63,115 voters nationwide, including 36,634 men and 26,981 women. About 92% of respondents expressed their intention to vote, 4.4% said they would abstain, and 2.5% were undecided.

Despite the BNP alliance holding a slight overall lead, results suggest that in constituencies where outcomes are nearly certain, the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition may have an edge.

 The survey forecasts 105 seats for the Jamaat-e-Islami coalition, compared to 101 seats for the BNP alliance.

Additionally, 75 constituencies are expected to witness tight competition between candidates of the two major alliances, while 19 constituencies may see other parties securing victory.

The findings highlight a highly competitive electoral landscape, signaling a potentially nail-biting outcome in Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary elections.