BNP Wins 212 Seats, Vows Stability After Hasina’s Ouster
News Desk
Dhaka: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a sweeping two-thirds majority in Bangladesh’s general election on Friday, paving the way for its return to power after two decades and raising hopes of political stability following months of unrest.
According to the latest counts reported by domestic television channels, the BNP and its allies captured at least 212 of the 299 contested seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, also known as the House of the Nation.
The Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 70 seats.
The vote is widely regarded as the country’s first genuinely competitive election in years, held after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in an August 2024 uprising led largely by young activists.
Hasina, now in exile in India, had dominated Bangladeshi politics for over 15 years.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/elections-loom-as-bangladesh-shifts-toward-china/
In a statement issued after securing a majority, the BNP thanked voters and called for nationwide prayers. “Despite winning by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised,” the party said, urging supporters to maintain calm.
BNP leader Tarique Rahman, son of party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, is widely expected to be sworn in as prime minister.
Rahman returned to Dhaka in December after 18 years abroad. His mother, former premier Khaleda Zia, was one of the central figures in Bangladesh’s long-running political rivalry with Hasina.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, 85, had been serving as interim head of government since Hasina fled the country.
Officials said manual counting of paper ballots would continue until at least noon on Friday, after polls closed late Thursday.
Turnout appeared set to surpass the 42% recorded in the 2024 election, with media estimates suggesting more than 60% participation among registered voters.
The BNP’s projected tally of more than 200 seats marks one of its strongest performances, exceeding its 193-seat victory in 2001.
However, the Awami League — which governed for 15 years and was barred from contesting this election — had won 230 seats in 2008, in a vote critics described as one-sided.
At BNP headquarters in Dhaka, supporters gathered overnight to celebrate the party’s landslide victory. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman conceded defeat and pledged constructive engagement. “We will do positive politics,” he told reporters, saying his party would avoid opposition for opposition’s sake.
The National Citizen Party, formed by youth activists who played a key role in the anti-Hasina movement and aligned with the Jamaat-led bloc, won just five of the 30 seats it contested.
Alongside the parliamentary vote, a referendum on constitutional reforms was also held. Broadcaster Jamuna TV reported that more than two million voters supported the proposed changes, while over 850,000 opposed them, though no official results were immediately announced.
The proposed reforms include a two-term limit for prime ministers, enhanced judicial independence, greater representation for women, provisions for neutral interim governments during election periods, and the creation of a second chamber in the 300-seat parliament.
The decisive result is expected to help steady the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million after months of deadly unrest that disrupted daily life and key industries, including the garment sector, where Bangladesh ranks as the world’s second-largest exporter.
Meanwhile, in Dhaka, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin described the 13th national election as one of the best in the country’s history.
Speaking at an official briefing at the Central Results Collection and Presentation Centre of the Election Commission, he said the polls were conducted in a festive, neutral and credible manner.
“If you judge, it can be considered a pretty good election. I am feeling good. We promised to present an election in a festive atmosphere. We promised to present a completely neutral and credible election to the nation and we do believe we have achieved it. Everyone is recognising this,” he said.
The CEC expressed gratitude to journalists, voters, political leaders and the public for their cooperation.
“With the overall cooperation of all, we have been able to present an acceptable election,” he added.
