DHAKA -- Bangladesh held a national election under heavy security on Sunday as the opposition boycotted the polls, scattered violence flared and businesses braced for the impact.
Around 120 million citizens were eligible to vote to elect representatives for 300 parliamentary seats. But while there were nearly 1,900 candidates from some 28 political parties, most either belonged to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League or were like-minded. The list included over 430 independent candidates, the majority of whom also hailed from the governing party and its associates.
