1988 Bangladeshi general election

none February 2026 Bangladesh parliamentary 1986 Bangladeshi general election 1986 1991 Bangladeshi general election 1991 3 March 1988 All 300 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad 151 52.48% ( 8.62pp) Hussain Muhammad Ershad.jpg H. M. Ershad Jatiya Party (Ershad) 153 seats 251 98 17,680,133 68.44% 3x4.svg A. S. M. Abdur Rab Combined Opposition Party – 19 New 3,263,340 12.63% Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury Jatiya Party (Ershad) Moudud Ahmed Jatiya Party (Ershad) General elections were held in Bangladesh on 3 March 1988. They were boycotted by several major parties, including the Bangladesh Awami League, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League, the National Awami Party (Muzaffar) and the Workers Party of Bangladesh.Dieter Nohlen Dieter Nohlen Florian Grotz Christof Hartmann 2001 Elections in Asia: A data handbook I 536 0-19-924958-X The result was a victory for the Jatiya Party, which won 251 of the 300 seats. Voter turnout was 52%. Background In 1982 a coup d'état led by Army Chief Hussain Muhammad Ershad overthrew democratically elected president Abdus Sattar. Parliament was dissolved and all political parties were banned. Ershad assumed the presidency in December 1983, promising to hold presidential elections in May 1984 and to restore parliamentary government the following year.Bangladesh Leader in Military Regime Assumes Presidency https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/12/world/bangladesh-leader-in-military-regime-assumes-presidency.html The New York Times 12 December 1983 However, neither elections were held until 1986. Amid increasing opposition from the general public, Ershad aimed to legitimise his regime by holding a referendum in March 1985.https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/03/21/Bangladesh-holds-referendum-on-military-rule/2820480229200/ Bangladesh holds referendum on military rule UPI en 2018-12-29 The official result of the referendum was overwhelmingly in support of his regime; however, there were allegations of large-scale vote rigging.https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-152587 Ershad's desperate bids go in vain 28 August 2010 The Daily Star en 2018-12-29 Ershad planned to hold a presidential election in early 1986, but faced vigorous opposition from the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who demanded the lifting of martial law and the holding of parliamentary elections prior to a presidential election. On 1 January 1986 Ershad formed Jatiya Party to represent his interests in elections and, conceding to opposition demands, parliamentary elections were held on 7 May 1986 with the result as a victory for Ershad's Jatiya Party. However the result was controversial with a British team of observers terming the elections a "tragedy for democracy" and a "cynically frustrated exercise". Ershad resigned as Chief of Army Staff on 30 August 1986 and, with the approval of the new parliament, a presidential election was held on 15 October 1986. However, the election was boycotted by all major opposition party candidates, giving Ershad a landslide victory, amid reports of electoral irregularities.Bangladesh Chief Claims Vote Victory https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/17/world/bangladesh-chief-claims-vote-victory.html The New York Times 17 October 1986 In November 1986, parliament passed the constitution's seventh amendment bill, protecting Ershad and his regime from prosecution for actions taken under his years of military rule, and on 11 November martial law was lifted.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1986/11/11/martial-law-ends-in-bangladesh/2be0301b-5fc2-4e63-93d8-ff368b939a3b/ Martial Law Ends in Bangladesh 1986-11-11 The Washington Post 2018-12-29 en-US 0190-8286 In July 1987 opposition groups united and organised mass public demonstrations in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna. Following Ershad's orders, police fired on participating protesters, resulting in civilian casualties, and police arrested as many as 500 protesters across the country.https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/bangladeshis-bring-down-ershad-regime-1987-1990 Bangladeshis bring down Ershad regime, 1987-1990 2012-11-17 Global Nonviolent Action Database en 2018-12-30 On 24 July Workers-Employees United Council began a 54-hour general strike in Dhaka calling for Ershad's resignation – the longest general strike in Bangladesh's history.Police and Protesters Clash in 2-day Bangladesh Strike https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/24/world/police-and-protesters-clash-in-2-day-bangladesh-strike.html The New York Times 24 July 1987 Opposition groups planned a series of events that would begin 10 November, naming the action the "Siege of Dhaka". However, in efforts to prevent a 72-hour strike planned for 29 November Ershad declared a state of emergency on 27 November 1987.Protest Banned, Curfew Imposed in Bangladesh https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-11-28-mn-5961-story.html Los Angeles Times 28 November 1987 Parliament was dissolved on 6 Decemberhttp://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/about-parliament/tenure-of-parliament Tenure of All Parliaments 2012-12-30 Parliament of Bangladesh en 2018-12-30 and new parliamentary elections were scheduled for 3 March 1988. Despite all major opposition parties refusing to participate the elections went ahead. The law providing for 30 seats reserved for women had expired prior to the elections.https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/parliament/165811/are-reserved-seats-in-the-parliament-sufficient Are reserved seats in the parliament sufficient for women’s empowerment? Dhaka Tribune 12 January 2019 Results Ershad's Jatiya Party won 251 of the 300 seats. The remaining 49 seats were shared between three other political parties which did participate, as well as a number of independent candidates.Government of Bangladesh 1991 A Background Paper on Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections. Dhaka: Press Information Department (Handout No. 429) The election was described by one Western diplomat as "a mockery of an election."Ruling Party Is Declared the Winner in Bangladesh The New York Times, 6 March 1988 Jatiya Party 17680133 251 +98 Combined Opposition Party 3263340 19 New Bangladesh Freedom Party 850284 2 New Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Siraj) 309666 3 0 Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan 105910 0 0 23-Party Alliance 102930 0 New Jana Dal 28929 0 0 Ganatantra Bastabayan Party 4209 0 New Independents 3487457 25 –7 0 Nohlen, Government of Bangladesh File: Bangladesh Parliament 1988.svg Aftermath The fourth parliament passed a large number of legislative bills, including the controversial eighth amendment to the Constitution, which made Islam the state religion of Bangladesh,https://www.reuters.com/article/bangladesh-islam-state-idUSKCN0W91XJ After 28 years, Bangladesh revives case to drop Islam as state... 2016-03-07 Reuters 2018-12-29 en in contravention of the original secular nature of the Constitution. In 1990 a popular mass uprising led by future Prime Ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina led to Ershad resigning from the Presidency,WORLD: Ershad Resigns in Bangladesh https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-06-mn-8405-story.html Los Angeles Times 6 December 1990 and the country returning to parliamentary democracy, with the Office of the President becoming a largely ceremonial one. References General Category:General elections in Bangladesh Bangladesh General Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results Category:Hussain Muhammad Ershad