Factbox-Bangladesh election: Main parties and issues

People and vehicles pass through rail tracks at the Karwan Bazar area, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain

DHAKA, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Bangladesh is set to hold a national election in February, its first since a student-led uprising toppled long-time leader Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Her Awami League, the South Asian nation’s largest party, has been barred from contesting.

Here are the main political parties and issues shaping the vote in the mainly Muslim nation of about 173 million: