Dhaka, Feb 13: In the general elections held in Bangladesh on Thursday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, has secured a majority. With this result, Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and chairperson of the BNP, is almost certain to become the next Prime Minister.
Voting took place in 299 out of 300 constituencies. Polling in Sherpur-3 was postponed after the death of a candidate.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, results from 206 of the 299 seats show that the BNP has won 165 seats so far.
BNP chair Rahman contested from two constituencies and won both. Rahman returned to the country in December last year after 17 years in exile.
The 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami has so far won only 45 seats. Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman secured victory from the Dhaka-15 constituency.
Other parties and independent candidates have won three seats.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which had remained out of power for nearly two decades, has staged a significant comeback in this election. The BNP has expressed confidence that it could secure more than a two-thirds majority.
After casting his vote on Thursday, BNP chair Rahman said that improving law and order would be his priority if elected.
This is the first national election in Bangladesh since the student uprising in July 2024. After failing to contain the violent protests, the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, left the country and went to India. Her party, the Awami League, was barred from participating in the election.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently living in exile in India, has described the election as completely fake and unconstitutional.
She has accused interim government chief Muhammad Yunus of illegally and unconstitutionally seizing power and conducting the election on that basis.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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