General elections were held in Bangladesh on 5 January 2014, in accordance with the constitutional requirement that elections must take place within the 90-day period before the expiration of the term of the Jatiya Sangshad on 24 January 2014.

The elections were not free and fair.[1] They were preceded by a government crackdown on the opposition, with Bangladesh Nationalist Party and opposition leader Khaleda Zia put under house arrest. There were widespread arrests of other opposition members, violence and strikes by the opposition, attacks on religious minorities, and extrajudicial killings by the government, with around 21 people killed on election day. Almost all major opposition parties boycotted the elections, resulting in 153 of the 300 directly elected seats being uncontested and the incumbent Awami League-led Grand Alliance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina winning a landslide majority.

The elections were criticized by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and the United Nations. 176 global leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joseph Stiglitz, issued a letter that claimed the election "lacked legitimacy".

On the night of 4 December 2013, Jatiya Party leader H. M. Ershad threatened to kill himself after security forces besieged his home following his decision to boycott the election. On 13 December, he was confined to a military hospital following his arrest from his Baridhara residence by security forces. According to the RAB commander, Ershad had been taken there at his own request. Zia was also put under house arrest since 29 December at her Gulshan residence.The Bangladesh Army was deployed throughout the country on 26 December on the request of the election commission to maintain law and order. The army would stay on the streets until 9 January 2014.

On 13 December Jamaat-e-Islami's Abdul Quader Mollah became the first person to be executed for war crimes relation to the Bangladesh Independence War resulting in violent protests by the Islamist opposition. Two ruling party activists were hacked to death in Kalaroa, while the Jamaat-e-Islami's activists firebombed train stations and blockaded roads. Another person died in clashes between police and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters in Noakhali, while a driver was killed after the party's activists chased him down. The opposition alliance called for a general strike on Sunday 15 December.

On 29 December 2013 the BNP called for a "March for Democracy" towards Dhaka, in defiance of a police ban, to protest against the election. Zia said: "The government is autocratic and illegal. It should step down immediately".One person was killed by the police in the centre of Dhaka, while a guard was killed in a blast at a train station. Some supporters of the ruling Awami League also clashed with opposition activists outside the Bangladesh Supreme Court.The BNP accused the police of barring Zia's car from leaving in order for her to lead the march. Thousands of security forces, mainly police, were present to prevent the opposition activists from rallying. Outside of the Supreme Court, police threw hot and coloured water from water cannons to disperse the protesters.Sheikh Hasina, while agreeing with the right of the opposition to protest, said: "You can wage anti-government agitation. But make sure people are not killed by your movement."A train was derailed by opposition activists in Gaibandha leading to three deaths.

On 30 December, the 18-party opposition alliance announced a non-stop blockade of roads, railways and waterways across the country from 1 January 2014 in order to resist the scheduled election. The decision came after they were barred from holding national demonstrations the previous day. The protest was termed the "March for Democracy."A general strike was called for 4, 5 and 6 January by the opposition parties.

On 3 and 4 January, opposition activists attacked potential polling centres across Bangladesh. They set fire to over 100 centres in Lakshmipur, Rajshahi, Pirojpur, Sylhet, Jhenaidah, Natore, Sirajganj and Brahmanbaria.

The blemishes extended beyond fraudulent voting and uncontested victories. Widespread violence marked election day, leaving at least 19 people dead. Between the night of 3 January and 10:00 pm on the eve of voting, 111 educational institutions designated as polling centres were set on fire. Attacks and ballot snatching were reported at another 100 centres.