DHAKA – Bangladesh heads to the polls on Thursday, marking a return to democracy after the 2024 ouster of long-time premier Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-driven uprising, in an election seen as pivotal for the country’s stability.
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.
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