Election Result Bangladesh Highlights: BNP wins 212 seats; PM Modi congratulates Tarique Rahman

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Turnout appeared on track on Thursday to exceed the 42% recorded in the last election in 2024, as per Reuters. Local media reported that more than 60% of registered voters were expected to have cast ballots. Official figures have not yet been released.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), led by youth activists who were instrumental in toppling Sheikh Hasina and was a part of the Jamaat-led alliance, won just five of 30 seats it contested, as per Reuters.

Shafiqur Rahman, the head of BNP's main rival, the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat, with his party-led alliance on just 68 seats. Rahman said Jamaat would not engage in the "politics of opposition" for the sake of it. "We will do positive politics," he told reporters.

BNP's poll promises included financial aid for poor families, a 10-year limit for an individual to remain prime minister, boosting the economy by measures including foreign investments, and anti-corruption policies.

Following the conclusion of the polls, Muhammad Yunus congratulated the nation on the peaceful and orderly conduct of the polls and referendum, calling it "the beginning of an unprecedented journey toward a new Bangladesh."

The Awami League on Thursday strongly condemned the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh, calling it a "well-planned farce" orchestrated by Chief Adviser of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, and demanded the reinstatement of the party along with the release of political prisoners.

More than 2,000 candidates, including a number of independents, were in the fray for 299 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies that went to polls. Polling for one seat was postponed due to the death of a candidate.

Also on the ballot Thursday was a referendum on a broad reform package that includes a 10-year cap on the prime minister’s tenure and the introduction of a 100-member upper house of parliament.

Shafiqur Rahman, head of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, said, “Regardless of their religion, they are all Bangladeshi citizens. There are no second-class citizens in my country. India is our nearest neighbor, and it will remain a priority. I do not consider anyone a minority. We are all Bangladeshis, and everyone is a first-class citizen. We do not endorse divisions based on minority or majority.”

“This victory was expected. It is not surprising that the people of Bangladesh have placed their trust in a party... capable of realising the dreams that our youth envisioned during the uprising,” Salahuddin Ahmed, a leading BNP committee member was quoted as saying by AFP.

The BNP's chairman, Tarique Rahman, has requested that the celebration of this victory be postponed out of respect for the passing of his mother, Khaleda Zia, before the election. Therefore, they have called for prayers for Khaleda Zia after the Friday congregational prayer.

These preliminary figures suggest a significant shift in Bangladesh's political landscape, with the BNP alliance appearing to surpass the halfway mark needed to form the government.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance has won 70 constituencies, according to unofficial results cited by ANI.

In the ongoing vote count for Bangladesh's national parliamentary elections, the alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has emerged with a strong lead, securing victories in 212 constituencies, reported ANI.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is on course for a thumping win in the 13th national election, where millions of voters exercised their long-denied franchise in a festive and peaceful atmosphere yesterday, reports The Daily Star, Bangladesh.

Multiple media tallies showed the BNP had won more than 151 seats in the 300-seat parliament. Jamuna and Somoy television channels reported that the BNP had secured 197 seats. Read more

Bangladeshis also voted on a referendum that introduces a 10-year cap on the prime minister’s tenure, among other constitutional changes aimed at strengthening democratic checks and balances.

While Bangladesh seems to have clearly chosen the BNP, multiple videos have emerged on social media purportedly showing incidents of ballot manipulation and rigging during voting in Bangladesh election, triggering widespread outrage. Read more

Despite receiving an official invitation from Dhaka to monitor the proceedings, India opted not to send official observers to avoid any perception of interference.

Responding to queries during the weekly media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We did receive an invitation for sending Observers, we have not sent our Observers to Bangladesh to observe the elections."

During his campaign, Tarique Rahman positioned himself as a voice for economic recovery, stability, and democratic restoration in a nation ruled by exiled Hasina for 15 years.

Tarique Rahman, 60, the Bangladesh prime minister hopeful, is the son of BNP supremo and former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia.

Rahman returned to Bangladesh to fight the elections in December 2025, after more than 17 years of self-imposed exile in London. Read more

“Prayers will be held in the mosque after Friday prayers....There will be no joyous gathering or any meeting...The public was requested to participate in the prayers held in mosques across the country. At the same time, there are temples, churches and pagodas and other religious places of worship all over the country. The people of the community were requested to pray to the Creator,” BNP said in a Facebook post.

Official results have not yet been delivered by the Bangladesh Election Commission, which is expected to issue its announcement on Friday.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque, who is the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance-backed candidate, has alleged irregularities in the ballot counting process in Dhaka-13, claiming that a flawed ballot design led to the cancellation of thousands of votes cast in his favour, as per Al Jazeera.

Bangladesh Parliament comprises 350 lawmakers, 300 of whom are elected directly from single-member constituencies, while an additional 50 seats are reserved for women, as per Al Jazeera.

The main electoral battle is between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman and a newly formed 11-party alliance, officially known as the ‘Like-minded 11 Parties.’

It's being challenged by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance of 11 parties, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), headed by students who were prominent in the 2024 anti-Hasina protests.

Tarique Rahman has been unofficially declared elected from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency after securing a decisive victory over his nearest rival, as per Daily Star.

The February 12 poll was Bangladesh's first since a student-led uprising toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's autocratic regime in August 2024.

Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus cast his ballot at the Gulshan Model School and College centre in Dhaka at 10:25am on Thursday.

"There will be no victory rally despite the BNP's sweeping victory," a BNP statement said. “We will hold special prayers at mosques after Jumma (Friday) prayers across the country.”

Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in a party statement, claimed a "sweeping victory", without giving figures, calling for followers to give thanks in prayer on Friday rather than celebrate on the streets.

The BNP's foreign policy document firmly stated its belief that across the border, “Bangladesh have friends and no master.”

"With respect to foreign relations, topmost priority will be given to the national interest of Bangladesh. The BNP will build up special relations with Muslim Ummah and the neighbouring countries," it said. Read more

The leading BNP coalition of Bangladesh is now projected to win 209 seats in the 300-member ‘Jatiya Sangsad’, or House of the Nation, according to local TV reports.

Now, with the Bangladesh elections around the corner, India will look forward to forging and sustaining good diplomatic ties with the new regime in the neighbouring country. Notably, BNP in its foreign policy has said it will not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries but vowed strong resistance if any other country interferes into the internal affairs of Bangladesh. Read more

Shafiqur Rahman, head of Jamaat-e-Islami, said his party will respect the results of the election, whatever they may be, and that it will not engage in obstructive "politics of opposition" should it lose.

The Election Commission has not released final results, suggesting it will have those ready by late Friday morning.

The top contenders in the Bangladesh Parliamentary Election 2026 are Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Jatiya Party (JP-Quader), Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad), Left Democratic Alliance and Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party).

BNP election committee spokesman Mahdi Amin told reporters the party was on track to win at least two-thirds of seats.

The chief of Bangladesh's Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party said on Thursday that his party would not do "politics of opposition" for the sake of it, in an indication that he was conceding the national election as votes were being counted, Reuters reported.

Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy with 300 directly elected lawmakers and an additional 50 seats reserved for women. Over 127 million people were eligible to vote in the country’s first election since Hasina’s ouster, which followed weeks of mass protests that forced her to flee, AP reported.

In the Sylhet-2 constituency, covering Bishwanath and Osmani Nagar, unofficial results indicate that BNP candidate Tahsina Rushdi (Luna) has won with 116,697 votes, as reported by Prothom Alo.

A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents contested in the election. Election Commission data showed that first-time voters made up some 3.58 per cent of the nearly 127 million voters, PTI reported

For the first time, nearly 8,00,000 expatriate Bangladeshis registered with the poll body to vote through an IT-based postal ballot system. (PTI)

Rahman has pledged to rebuild democratic institutions, restore the rule of law and revive the struggling economy. Television stations reported late Thursday that Rahman won in two constituencies, one in Dhaka and another in his northern ancestral home, AP reported.

Challenging the BNP is an 11-party alliance led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned under Hasina but has gained prominence since her removal. (AP)

Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy with 300 directly elected lawmakers and an additional 50 seats reserved for women. Over 127 million people were eligible to vote in the country’s first election since Hasina’s ouster, which followed weeks of mass protests that forced her to flee, AP reported.

Tarique Rahman was born on November 20, 1965, in Dhaka to Khaleda and former President Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the BNP, Reuters reported. He studied international relations at the University of Dhaka, dropped out, and later started businesses in textiles and agro-products, the report stated.

The chief of Bangladesh's Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party said on Thursday that his party would not do "politics of opposition" for the sake of it, in an indication that he was conceding the national election as votes were being counted, Reuters reported.

A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents contested in the election. Election Commission data showed that first-time voters made up some 3.58 per cent of the nearly 127 million voters, PTI reported

For the first time, nearly 8,00,000 expatriate Bangladeshis registered with the poll body to vote through an IT-based postal ballot system. (PTI)

In the Sylhet-2 constituency, covering Bishwanath and Osmani Nagar, unofficial results indicate that BNP candidate Tahsina Rushdi (Luna) has won with 116,697 votes, as reported by Prothom Alo.

Tarique Rahman was born on November 20, 1965, in Dhaka to Khaleda and former President Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the BNP, Reuters reported. He studied international relations at the University of Dhaka, dropped out, and later started businesses in textiles and agro-products, the report stated.