Bangladesh's BNP wins historic parliamentary election
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party easily secured 185 seats in Bangladesh's 300-member parliament, easily crossing the halfway mark for a simple majority.
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
DHAKA: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landmark parliamentary election on Friday (Feb 13), local TV stations showed, as ballots were counted through the night in a pivotal vote that is expected to restore political stability.
The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh's first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long-time premier Sheikh Hasina.
A clear outcome had been seen as crucial for stability in the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and hit major industries, including the garment sector in the world's second largest exporter.
It was also the first national election to follow recent revolts led by the under-30s that have cropped up through the wider region. Nepal is set to hold a vote next month.
BNP SAILS TO VICTORY
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
This service is not intended for persons residing in the E.U. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp’s partners.
Loading
By around 4am local time, the BNP had secured 185 seats in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation, TV channels showed, easily crossing the halfway mark for a simple majority.
As counting continued, BNP leaders said the party was confident of winning 200 seats and securing a two-thirds majority.
"Of course, BNP is winning, the majority of course, and it would even be a landslide victory," Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a BNP standing committee member, said. "Winning two-thirds of the seats is called a landslide victory, I think we would cross the 200-seat limit."
The BNP is led by top prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman.
Its campaign promises included financial aid for poor families, a limit of 10 years for an individual to remain prime minister, boosting the economy by measures including foreign investments, and anti-corruption policies.
JAMAAT PROMISES POSITIVE OPPOSITION
Shafiqur Rahman, the head of BNP's main rival, the Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat, with his party on just 56 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.
Despite the landslide result, the election had been seen as Bangladesh's first truly competitive vote in years. Hasina's Awami League party, which ruled the country for more than 15 years until her ousting, was barred from contesting.
Turnout appeared on track on Thursday to exceed the 42 per cent recorded in the last election in 2024. Local media reported that more than 60 per cent of registered voters were expected to have cast ballots.
More than 2,000 candidates - including many independents - were on the ballot, and at least 50 parties contested seats, a national record. Voting in one constituency was postponed after a candidate died.
Alongside the election, a referendum was held on a set of constitutional reforms, including establishing a neutral interim government for election periods, restructuring parliament into a bicameral legislature, increasing women's representation, strengthening judicial independence and introducing a two-term limit for the prime minister.
There was no official word on the outcome of the referendum. Leading local newspaper Prothom Alo reported that a 'Yes' or positive vote was leading the count.
HASINA CALLS VOTE A FARCE
Hasina is in self-imposed exile in long-term ally India, which has frayed ties between Dhaka and New Delhi and opened the window for China to expand its influence in Bangladesh.
In a statement sent after polling stations closed, Hasina denounced the election as a "carefully planned farce", held without her party and without real voter participation. She said Awami League supporters had rejected the process.
"We demand the cancellation of this voterless, illegal and unconstitutional election ... the removal of the suspension imposed on the activities of the Awami League, and the restoration of the people's voting rights through the arrangement of a free, fair, and inclusive election under a neutral caretaker government," she said.
Opponents of Hasina say that elections under her rule were frequently marred by boycotts and intimidation.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app