DHAKA: An opposition boycott looks set to usher prime minister Sheikh Hasina to a fourth straight term in the Bangladesh election this weekend. The election has been described as a “sham” designed to cement Hasina’s rule by exiled opposition leader Tarique Rahman. Rahman’s party staged a months-long protest campaign in 2023 demanding the prime minister’s resignation that saw at least 11 people killed and thousands of its supporters arrested. Speaking to Agence France-Presse, he said it would be inappropriate to have his party participate in a vote with a “predetermined” outcome. Rights groups warn the country of 170 million is heading for virtual one-party rule, while the United States, which sanctioned Bangladeshi security forces in 2021 over allegations of rights…
