Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won a fourth consecutive term in Bangladesh, following an election that was boycotted by opposition parties and marked by violent protests and international scrutiny.

Ms Hasina’s Awami League party won 222 seats out of 299, according to the Election Commission, cementing a majority in Parliament and extending her 15-year rule that has made her one of the most defining and divisive leaders in the nation’s history.

The victory, widely seen as inevitable, came amid low voter turnout at 41.8% in a severely contentious climate that saw opposition members jailed ahead of the polls.

Analysts say the clampdown on political foes and stifling of dissent puts Bangladesh’s democracy in a fragile position, risks triggering political turmoil and may test some of its diplomatic ties.

Vote count
Bangladeshi polling officials count votes (AP)

Campaigning was rife with violence and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies boycotted the vote, saying Ms Hasina’s government could not oversee free and fair polls.

“This is not a story of a thumping, resounding reaction from the people. There is a question mark in the public’s mind about this election, so the result that has come will face this taint,” said Avinash Paliwal, who specialises in South Asia relations at London’s SOAS University.

The vote also spotlighted a troublesome electoral record, being the third in the last 15 years to be dogged by credibility concerns.

The previous two votes were widely seen as flawed with allegations of vote-rigging, which authorities denied, and another opposition boycott. All three elections were held under Ms Hasina’s rule.

The main opposition party has demanded a fresh election to establish a “legitimate” government.

This is likely “to ratchet up rather than rein in political tensions” and fan further polarisation instead of reconciliation, said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre.

The government has defended the polls as open and inclusive, but critics have pointed out that many smaller opposition groups and independent candidates belonged to the ruling party, which left voters with few options.

Bangladesh Election
Activists of Gono Odhikar Parishad protest against what they called a one-sided election at the National Press Club in Dhaka (AP)

In a post-election press conference, Ms Hasina said Bangladesh had set an example of holding a free, fair and impartial election.

“It’s not my victory. I think it is a victory of the people,” she declared.

While Ms Hasina is often credited with presiding over Bangladesh’s impressive growth in recent years, experts say its economy is now sputtering.

Foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to less than three months’ worth of imports, the price of food has surged and a wave of labour protests from the country’s prized garment industry has highlighted dissatisfaction with the government.

Experts say economic discontent is widespread in Bangladesh, which means Ms Hasina’s handling of the economy will be key, especially to regain legitimacy among disenchanted voters who skipped the polls.