Bangladeshis queued outside polling stations across the country on Thursday as voting began in what is being widely seen as a landmark general election, the first since the ouster of long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-led uprising last year.

Polling opened at 7:30 a.m. local time in 299 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies and will continue until 4:30 p.m. Voting in one seat has been postponed due to the death of a candidate. Counting will begin shortly after polls close, with results expected to be clear by Friday.

Return to democracy after unrest

The election marks Bangladesh’s return to electoral politics after months of unrest triggered by the deadly anti-Hasina protests of 2024, which disrupted key sectors including garments, the world’s second-largest apparel export industry. Analysts say a decisive mandate is crucial for political stability in the nation of about 175 million people.

It is also being described as the world’s first national election following a revolution led largely by under-30s, or Gen Z.

In Dhaka, voters began lining up even before polling booths opened. Mohammed Jobair Hossain, 39, said it was his first vote since 2008.

"I am feeling excited because we are voting in a free manner after 17 years," Hossain said. "Our votes will matter and have meaning."

Main contest and barred ruling party

The contest is primarily between 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. The Awami League, led by Hasina, has been disbanded and barred from contesting, while Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India.

More than 1,700 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents are in the fray, competing for 300 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation — a national record. The BNP has fielded the highest number of candidates. Only 83 women are contesting, despite women making up nearly half of the electorate.

Parallel referendum on reforms

Voting is being held alongside a referendum on an 84-point constitutional reform package. Proposed changes include establishing a neutral interim government during election periods, restructuring parliament into a bicameral legislature, increasing women’s representation, strengthening judicial independence and imposing a two-term limit on the prime minister.

“This election is not just another routine vote,” Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, head of the interim government installed after Hasina’s ouster, said this week.

“The public awakening we witnessed against long-standing anger, inequality, deprivation and injustice finds its constitutional expression in this election.”

Heavy security deployment

Authorities have deployed unprecedented security, with nearly 900,000 to 1 million personnel from the police and armed forces overseeing law and order. Armoured Personnel Carriers, Rapid Action Teams, drones and body-worn cameras are being used, including in Dhaka, where police flagged more than 1,600 polling centres as risk-prone.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, in a televised address on the eve of polling, urged voters to cast their ballots freely and appealed for a peaceful environment. Observers from 45 countries and international organisations are monitoring the election.

Voter hopes and concerns

Despite a largely peaceful campaign, some voters remain conflicted. Rickshaw puller Chan Mia said he could not afford to travel to his village to vote, while others expressed disillusionment over the absence of Hasina’s party.

Still, many were determined to participate.

"During Hasina’s time, we couldn’t cast our votes," said Shakil Ahmed, a driver. “It’s my right to vote. This time, I won’t miss it.”

With corruption and inflation emerging as top voter concerns, analysts say the credibility of the process — and acceptance of the outcome — will be critical.

“The crucial test for Bangladesh now will be to ensure the election is conducted fairly and impartially, and for all parties to then accept the result,” said Thomas Kean of the International Crisis Group. “If that happens, it will be the strongest evidence yet that Bangladesh has indeed embarked on a period of democratic renewal.”