Gopalganj, long a stronghold of Bangladesh’s Awami League, is facing an unusual political landscape ahead of the February 12 elections. For the first time in decades, the party’s iconic “boat” symbol is absent from the ballot.
Posters of rival parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat‑e‑Islami, and independent candidates, now dominate streets and public spaces. The district, the hometown of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had traditionally ensured decisive victories for the Awami League.
Hasina governed Bangladesh for over 15 consecutive years until her removal in August 2024 following a youth-led uprising. She was subsequently exiled to India. Her party has been barred from participating in the current elections, overseen by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Hasina told Reuters in October 2025 that her absence would leave millions of supporters without representation and likely encourage widespread boycotts. “If there is no boat on the ballot paper, none of the 13 voters in my family will go to the polling station,” said local rickshaw puller Ershad Sheikh, standing among layers of opposition posters.
A Dhaka court sentenced Hasina to death late last year for allegedly ordering a crackdown on the 2024 uprising, which a UN report estimates killed up to 1,400 people and injured thousands. Hasina denied issuing the orders.
Recent surveys indicate a significant shift in voter allegiance. Nearly half of former Awami League supporters now prefer the BNP, currently leading in most opinion polls, while roughly 30 percent favour Jamaat. According to researchers from the Dhaka-based Communication & Research Foundation and Bangladesh Election and Public Opinion Studies, former Awami League voters are consolidating their support around specific opposition parties rather than withdrawing from politics altogether.
Families of Awami League activists in Gopalganj describe the political transition as costly. Shikha Khanam said her brother, Ibrahim Hossain, a party student-wing activist, was arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act following unrest at a July rally last year. Her family has since withdrawn from political activities entirely. “We won’t vote. We are done,” she said.
The July rally, organized by the newly formed student-led National Citizen Party to mark the 2024 uprising, resulted in five deaths during clashes with police. Awami League members and minority community residents report living in fear ahead of the elections.
Despite the uncertainty, some residents see opportunity in the absence of the Awami League. Businessman Sheikh Ilias Ahmed expressed hope for a free and fair vote. “In the past, I went to the polling station and found my vote already cast,” he said. “This time, I want to believe things will be different.”
