Bangladesh Nationalist Party claims victory in country’s first election since 2024 uprising

Lead

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said Friday it secured enough parliamentary seats to form the next government in the country’s first national vote since the 2024 student-led uprising. The party’s media unit asserted a majority after counting by local outlets suggested the BNP crossed the 151-seat threshold in the 350-member Parliament. The Election Commission has not yet published a final official tally; authorities reported voter turnout at 59.44% in Thursday’s balloting. The vote was held amid heightened security and a tense political atmosphere following the 2024 unrest.

Key Takeaways

• The BNP’s media arm said the party crossed the 151-seat majority needed in the 350-seat Parliament, which includes 50 reserved seats for women allocated proportionally.
• Election Commission reported turnout at 59.44% from a register of more than 127 million eligible voters, including roughly 5 million first-time voters and nearly half female.
• Tarique Rahman, the BNP’s 60-year-old leader and prime ministerial candidate, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile; he is the son of the late Khaleda Zia.
• The Jamaat-e-Islami–led alliance won at least 77 seats, according to local television reports, and raised objections about delayed results and narrow defeats in several constituencies.
• Major international players including the United States, China, India and Pakistan publicly congratulated BNP leaders soon after the party’s claim of victory.
• The election included a referendum on political reforms — including term limits for the prime minister and enhanced checks on executive power — with results not yet announced.

Background

Bangladesh’s political life has long been dominated by two dynastic parties and recurring claims of vote manipulation, political repression and periodic boycotts. The 2024 student uprising, which turned violent and led to the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, set the stage for this first national election since that crisis. Hasina has been in exile since her ouster; her Awami League remains banned from contesting in the current political configuration.

For decades the BNP and Awami League were the principal rivals; the BNP’s leadership traces to Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, both central figures in the party’s modern identity. Tarique Rahman spent 17 years abroad after legal cases were brought against him; those cases were dropped after the post‑2024 political transition, enabling his return in December and rapid elevation as the BNP’s prime ministerial candidate.

Main Event

Voting took place on a Thursday under tight security measures across Bangladesh. State and local officials said the Election Commission recorded 59.44% turnout out of more than 127 million registered voters; media outlets circulated partial tallies as counting continued. The BNP’s media unit posted on X that the party had reached a governing majority, a claim echoed by several local television channels that reported the party passing the 151-seat threshold in the 350-member legislature.

The Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami–led 11-party alliance emerged as the main rival in many seats, winning a reported 77 or more constituencies and securing prominent figures — including Shafiqur Rahman — seats in Dhaka. Jamaat officials said delays in result announcements across certain constituencies were “unusual” and alleged narrow or suspicious defeats for their candidates in multiple races, prompting calls for clarification from the Election Commission.

BNP leadership, including senior joint secretary-general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, publicly congratulated the electorate, while Tarique Rahman’s press secretary Saleh Shibly urged supporters to offer special prayers during Friday services and discouraged celebratory rallies or processions. International reactions were swift: the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka congratulated the BNP leadership, and Beijing, New Delhi and Islamabad issued statements welcoming the prospect of engagement with the incoming government.

Analysis & Implications

If the BNP’s claim holds and the party does govern with a clear majority, it represents a substantial political realignment in Dhaka after years of one-party dominance and contested contests. A BNP government led by Tarique Rahman would face immediate pressure to demonstrate reform and good governance given the party’s long association with dynastic politics and past corruption allegations.

Regionally, a BNP-led administration could recalibrate foreign relations. Early conciliatory messages from the United States and China signal eagerness by major powers to engage. New Delhi’s response noted public confidence in the BNP leader, reflecting pragmatic interest in stable bilateral ties despite past tensions under the ousted Awami League.

Domestically, the rise in support for an Islamist-led alliance raises concerns among women and minority communities who had feared expanded conservative influence. The presence of Jamaat-e-Islami figures in Parliament will test Bangladesh’s ability to balance pluralism with rising conservative currents, and the BNP’s coalition choices will shape governance and human rights outcomes.

Comparison & Data

This table aggregates official tallies and media-reported seat counts to provide immediate context. The 50 reserved women’s seats do not change the 151-seat simple majority threshold but are distributed after election results are finalized, affecting final party totals for legislative work.

Reactions & Quotes

“The United States looks forward to working with you to achieve shared goals of prosperity and security for both our countries.”

U.S. Embassy in Dhaka (official statement)

The U.S. Embassy framed the result as an opportunity for bilateral cooperation, emphasizing stability and shared priorities. That comment followed similar congratulatory notes from other capitals.

“We look forward to working together with the new government of Bangladesh and writing new chapters of China-Bangladesh relations.”

Chinese Embassy in Dhaka (official statement)

Beijing highlighted continuity in diplomatic ties and economic engagement, signaling a readiness to deepen relations with Dhaka under new leadership.

“Delay in announcing results in several constituencies is unusual,”

Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary-general Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair (statement)

Jamaat-e-Islami used its statement to question the counting process in specific constituencies; the Election Commission has yet to respond to that allegation in an official, detailed account.

Unconfirmed

• The Election Commission has not published a final, constituency-level official seat-by-seat tally to confirm the BNP’s claimed majority.
• Allegations by Jamaat-e-Islami about “narrow and suspicious” defeats in several constituencies remain unverified pending formal election-review statements.
• The final outcome of the referendum on political reforms has not been announced and awaits official certification.

Bottom Line

The BNP’s declaration that it achieved a governing majority marks a turning point in Bangladesh’s post‑2024 political transition if confirmed by the Election Commission. The party’s rapid return to power under Tarique Rahman, a figure long associated with dynastic politics, raises immediate questions about reform, accountability and coalition choices that will shape policy and rights protections.

Observers should watch for the Election Commission’s formal certification, the final allocation of the 50 reserved women’s seats, and whether the BNP will pursue inclusive governance or align with conservative partners that could shift social policy. International engagement is likely to be pragmatic and swift; domestic stability and minority protections will depend on the new government’s early decisions and transparency in confirming results.

Sources

• Associated Press — news organization (original reporting and compilation of official statements)