AL set for fourth straight term after largely peaceful polls

Awami League confident of winning

The early results of the 12th national polls show that Awami League is leading the electoral race unofficially.
Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina is well on her way to form the government for a fourth consecutive term with the ruling party and its alliance partners set to bag a landslide victory in the 12th national election held yesterday.
According to the results available until 12:15am Sunday, till the filing of this report, Awami League bagged 207 seats. Candidates from the Jatiya Party secured wins in 9 constituencies and independent candidates won the race in 53 seats.
The 12th national election, marked by a low turnout and sporadic violence in an otherwise largely peaceful atmosphere, placed the Awami League candidates and independents winning most of the seats in the absence of any major opposition in the race on Sunday.
Voter turnout was noticeably low in most polling stations in the capital while the crowd of party leaders can be seen in front of the centres almost all day long.
This correspondent reported this, visiting at least 30 centres of Dhaka-12, Dhaka-13, Dhaka-14, Dhaka-15 and Dhaka-16 constituencies from 7:15 am to 3pm on Sunday.