Bangladesh Holds First General Election
On March 7, 1973, Bangladesh conducted its first general election, marking a significant milestone for the newly independent nation. Following a turbulent history that included a brutal civil war and a struggle for independence from Pakistan, Bangladesh found itself as a distinct entity, shaped by its unique ethnic and religious demographics. Predominantly Bengali and Muslim, the population had been under the heavy-handed rule of West Pakistan before declaring independence on March 26, 1971, aided by India.
The election resulted in Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a key figure in the independence movement, being elected as head of state. His Awami League Party dominated the National Assembly, winning 292 out of 300 seats. Rahman's leadership laid the foundation for modern Bangladesh, but his tenure was marred by political challenges and a significant constitutional shift that increased his power. Tragically, in 1975, Rahman was assassinated, leading to a period of political instability and economic difficulties for the nation. As Bangladesh continues to navigate its challenges, including vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change, its first general election remains an important event in its journey toward establishing a functioning democracy.
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Bangladesh Holds First General Election
Bangladesh Holds First General Election
On March 7, 1973, the new nation of Bangladesh held its first general election. Once a part of British India, Bangladesh had only recently won its independence from Pakistan in a bitter civil war.
Bangladesh is a small Asian country located at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal, just east of India. Although it is less than 60,000 square miles in area, its fertile land and coastal villages support a huge population dependent on fishing and farming. In 2000 the country had approximately 130 million people (about 2,300 per square mile) and one of the world's lowest standards of living, since economic development had begun only a few decades before. The population is mostly Bengali, part of the same ethnic group that populates the Indian state of West Bengal, which Bangladesh borders.
Unlike the Indian Bengalis, the people of Bangladesh are nearly 90 percent Muslim. Their country was once attached to India as part of the British Empire. When in the late 1940s Great Britain decided to grant its Indian possessions independence, British India was split into two nations: India with a Hindu majority and Pakistan with a Muslim majority. However, the two Muslim-majority sections that made up Pakistan were not contiguous: West Pakistan (modern-day Pakistan) was to the west of India, while East Pakistan (modern-day Bangladesh) was a thousand miles away to the east. East Pakistan was ruled by West Pakistan, which governed the Bengalis with a heavy hand. Fighting broke out, and on March 26, 1971, East Pakistan declared its independence and took the name Bangladesh (Bengali, meaning Bengal nation). With India's assistance, Bangladesh achieved independence on December 16, 1971, when the West Pakistani forces stationed there surrendered.
The first general election for the new nation was held on March 7, 1973. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a leader in the fight for independence, was elected head of state, his Awami League Party having won 292 of the new National Assembly's 300 seats. Considered the founding father of modern Bangladesh, Rahman had worked for decades in the independence movement and become enormously popular. He had been head of the interim government set up the previous year to run the country while the general elections were being organized. In 1974 Bangladesh was finally recognized by Pakistan as an independent country and admitted into the United Nations. But the new nation was soon in trouble: In 1975 Rahman, who had served first as prime minister and then as president, was assassinated after he had altered the country's constitution to give himself much greater power. Since then Bangladesh has faced political turmoil, economic troubles, and a series of natural disasters, including record floods that have left millions of people homeless. Because of its low coastal plain, the country is vulnerable to storm surges; any permanent rise in sea level, such as is predicted from global warming, could be disastrous for Bangladesh.