tribunals and election tribunals, all of which deal with civil cases; and the public safety tribunals and courts against repression of women and children, dealing with criminal cases. Government and politics Last elections: 5 January 2014 Next elections: 2019 Head of state: President Abdul Hamid Head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Ruling party: Alliance led by the Awami League Women MPs: 20% Following a very violent campaign, in October 2001 the four-party alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a surprise landslide victory, taking a total of 214 of the directly elective seats; the Awami League took 62 and the Islamic National Unity Front, which included a faction of the Jatiya Party led by Hossain Ershad, 14. Although international observers declared the general election to be largely free and fair, and both the head of the caretaker government and the chief election commissioner rejected the Awami League’s allegation of massive vote-rigging, Sheikh Hasina called for the elections to be run again, threatening mass protests and a parliamentary boycott, which had characterised opposition politics during previous administrations. The Awami League subsequently returned to parliament and assumed its role as opposition. The political temperature remained very high in 2003 and, in June of that year, the Awami League began a boycott of parliament that would run for 12 months. During 2004 the opposition called 21 general strikes as part of a campaign to oust the government. In October 2006 a general election was called for January 2007 and President Iajuddin Ahmed formed a caretaker government. In early January 2007 it was confirmed that the Awami League and other smaller opposition parties were to boycott the election on the belief that the interim government and election commission were biased. Following national transport blockades raised by Awami League supporters who wanted the election postponed and ensuing riots, a state of emergency was imposed and President Ahmed postponed the election, stood down as chief adviser of the interim government and was succeeded by Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, former governor of the country’s central bank. The Election Commission then established a road map for electoral reform, including the preparation of a new voters’ list with photographs. The election – held in December 2008 with Commonwealth observers present – was won by the alliance led by the Awami League, which itself took 230 seats; its ally, the Jatiya Party, 27. The BNP won 30 seats and its allies three. The turnout of the electorate was reached a record 87 per cent. Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as Prime Minister in January 2009. On 11 February Zillur Rahman was elected unopposed to replace Iajuddin Ahmed as non-executive President. In late February 2009 the new government faced its first crisis when a section of the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mutinied, ostensibly over pay and conditions. Officials reported 74 deaths – mostly BDR officers – and more than 1,000 soldiers were B a n g l a d e s h arrested and interrogated. Six special military courts were established in November 2009 to try BDR personnel accused of mutiny, while others charged with murder, looting and other serious offences were put to trial in civilian courts. On 23 January 2011 the BDR was officially renamed Border Guard of Bangladesh in accordance with the ‘Border Guard Bangladesh Bill 2010’ passed by the parliament on 8 December 2010. In late 2010 the government established a tribunal to prosecute those accused of committing war crimes during Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. From January 2013 the first verdicts were given; the first group to appear before the tribunal comprised nine leading members of Jamaat-e-Islami and two members of the opposition BNP, and violent protests erupted in early March. President Zillur Rahman died on 20 March 2013. Speaker Abdul Hamid, who had been acting President since 14 March, was elected President unopposed by parliament on 22 April and was sworn in on 24 April. The election on 5 January 2014 was boycotted by the BNP, which had called for the polls to be held under a caretaker government. As a result, voting took place in only 147 of the country’s 300 constituencies, with 153 seats uncontested. The Awami League obtained 231 seats overall, achieving a two-thirds majority in parliament. The Jatiya Party took 34 seats and formed the parliamentary opposition. However, the Jatiya Party also accepted several cabinet positions. Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said on 6 January 2014 that: ‘The limited levels of participation and the low voter turnout are disappointing. The acts of violence are deeply troubling... Therefore, it is critical that Bangladesh moves quickly to find a path forward through dialogue to a more inclusive and peaceful political process in which the will of the people can be fully expressed.’ The new government was sworn in on 12 January. Local government Ministry: Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Local government is provided for by the 2008 local government ordinances, the Zila Parishad Act 2000 and the Hill District Local Government Parishad Act 1989, and it is enshrined in the constitution. The Local Government Division of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives is responsible for local government, except for the hill district parishads, which are under the aegis of the Ministry of Hill Tract Affairs. The 64 administrative districts comprise unitary urban authorities and three-tier administrative structures in the rural areas. Local elections are held every five years. The local authorities have revenue-raising powers, funding services such as health, education and social welfare in the urban areas; and implementation of development projects, roads and public libraries in the rural areas. National development plan The Bangladesh Planning Commission was mandated in January 1972 to establish a long-term perspective for development planning; to determine the goals, strategies, targets and priorities of development plans and annual development programmes; and Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 139
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