In a dramatic political reversal, the ancestral hometown of Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina displays unprecedented electoral transformation ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections. Gopalganj district, long considered the impregnable stronghold of Hasina’s Awami League party, now showcases campaign materials exclusively from opposition groups including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and independent candidates.
The absence of Awami League’s iconic ‘boat’ election symbol—a visual staple during previous decades—marks the first time in generations that the party cannot contest elections in its political birthplace. This development follows the party’s official exclusion from the electoral process under the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Sheikh Hasina, who governed for fifteen consecutive years until her overthrow during a youth-led uprising in August 2024, currently resides in exile in India. A Dhaka court recently sentenced the former premier to death for allegedly ordering lethal crackdowns during the 2024 protests, though she has consistently denied these charges. UN estimates indicate approximately 1,400 fatalities occurred during the unrest, predominantly from security forces’ gunfire.
Recent electoral research reveals significant voter realignment, with nearly half of former Awami League supporters now favoring the BNP—the current frontrunner in opinion polls—while approximately 30 percent support Jamaat-e-Islami. The survey, conducted by Dhaka-based research organizations, indicates former ruling party voters are consolidating around specific opposition alternatives rather than withdrawing from partisan politics entirely.
In personal accounts from Gopalganj residents, many express either political disillusionment or cautious optimism. Rickshaw puller Ershad Sheikh declared his entire 13-member family would boycott the polls without the ‘boat’ symbol on ballots. Conversely, local businessman Sheikh Ilias Ahmed hopes the election will finally enable genuine democratic choice after previous allegations of vote manipulation.
The transition has exacted personal costs for some families. Shikha Khanam reported her brother’s detention under anti-terrorism legislation following July 2024 clashes between police and protesters that resulted in five fatalities. Her family has subsequently withdrawn completely from political engagement.
Political analysts suggest that while core Awami League loyalists may abstain from voting, locally-focused undecided voters could ultimately determine the electoral outcome in this transformed political landscape.