The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) claimed victory Friday in the country’s first parliamentary election since a student-led uprising in 2024 ousted long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina, according to statements released by the party and reported by multiple news outlets.
The BNP’s media unit stated it had secured enough seats to govern independently, though final results have not yet been officially confirmed by the Bangladesh Election Commission. Local television stations, including Jamuna TV, projected the BNP-led coalition winning 209 seats, securing a two-thirds majority in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation.
The election, held Thursday, was widely viewed as a contest between the BNP and an 11-party alliance led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami. It took place under tight security and amid concerns about political stability following the unrest that led to Hasina’s exile in India. The 2024 revolt, estimated by the United Nations to have caused 1,400 deaths, brought an complete to Hasina’s lengthy tenure and ushered in an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Tarique Rahman, the BNP’s prime ministerial candidate, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of self-imposed exile in London. The 60-year-old son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who died in December, has led the party’s campaign. Rahman’s return followed the dropping of multiple corruption and criminal charges brought against him by Hasina’s government after her ouster.
The vote also included a referendum on constitutional changes, including a two-term limit for the prime minister and increased representation for women in parliament. Bangladesh’s parliament comprises 350 seats, with 300 directly elected and 50 reserved for women.
Founded in 1978 by Rahman’s father, Ziaur Rahman, the BNP has been the primary opposition to the Awami League for much of the past two decades. The party has previously boycotted elections, alleging systematic vote rigging and political repression under Hasina’s leadership.
The BNP’s victory claim has drawn expressions of support from regional leaders. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated India would continue to support a “democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh,” while Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated the people of Bangladesh on a “successful, peaceful poll” and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a “democratic partnership and shared progress.”
The Awami League has been banned from political activities following the 2024 uprising.
