Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, urged voters on Thursday to turn out and back “honest, competent and patriotic” candidates, overcoming all fears and hesitations.

In a Facebook post on polling day, Rahman described the election as the start of a “historic day” after a long wait and sacrifice. “Relying on Almighty Allah, together with a united Bangladesh, we have joined the march to create a new chapter for the nation,” he wrote.

The Jamaat leader, contesting Dhaka-15 as a candidate of an 11-party alliance, said the vote was not merely an individual right but a “trust stained with the blood of martyrs”.

“This is the key to building a livable, safe and just Bangladesh for the next generation,” he said. “Go to the polling stations with great patience and discipline and protect your sacred trust.”

Rahman also called for united resistance against “any kind of fraud, irregularities and vote theft” from ballot casting to the announcement of results.