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In a surprising political turn in Bangladesh, three leaders, previously facing serious criminal charges, have won seats in the new parliament. Lutfuzzaman Babar and Abdus Salam Pintu of BNP, along with ATM Azharul Islam of Jamaat-e-Islami, were cleared of all charges, including death sentences and terror-related allegations.
Three Controversial Leaders Secure Wins in Bangladesh General Election
Dhaka: Bangladesh's politics has witnessed significant and surprising changes this time. Following the recent general elections, three leaders are set to secure their seats in Parliament, having faced serious charges in the past, some of whom had even been sentenced to death. Two of these leaders are associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and one with Jamaat-e-Islami.
Fortunes of three leaders have changed.
The cases against the three leaders were pending when Sheikh Hasina left for India. Subsequently, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed Bangladesh's interim government, and under his leadership, all cases against these leaders were dropped.
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Lutfozzaman Babar - a BNP member, defeated his nearest rival by approximately 160,000 votes.
Abdus Salam Pintu - a BNP member, who faced allegations of links to a Pakistan-backed terrorist organization. This time, he won by approximately 200,000 votes.
ATM Azharul Islam - a former leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, accused of murdering hundreds of people and raping 13 women during the 1971 Liberation War. He was initially sentenced to death but later pardoned.
In December 2024, a Bangladesh court acquitted Tariq Rahman, Lutfozzaman Babar, and others in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack targeting Sheikh Hasina, which killed 24 people.
Pintu's victory and acquittal process are considered a cause for concern for India, as he was accused of links to Pakistan-backed terrorist organizations. Delhi is now closely watching the election results, and Indian officials are expressing "cautious optimism" about the new leadership's policy toward the country's economy and regional peace.
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Azharul Islam's political career spanned from 1998 to 2012, and he served as the General Secretary of Jamaat. He was sentenced to death in 2014, but under Yunus' leadership, he was pardoned and all charges were dropped. Now, these leaders are also set to enter Parliament.
The rapid change in the fortunes of these three leaders holds a significant role in Bangladesh's political stability and international attention. The role and policies of these new MPs will be crucial for regional politics and India-Bangladesh relations in the future.
