DHAKA, Bangladesh — The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is claiming victory in the country’s first parliamentary elections since the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in July 2024, potentially ushering in a new era for Bangladesh after years of political rivalry and contested polls. While official results are still pending from the Election Commission, the BNP asserts it has secured enough seats to govern independently.
According to local media reports, the BNP has surpassed the 151-seat threshold required for a majority in the 350-member Parliament. The Election Commission confirmed a voter turnout of 59.44% on Thursday, with over 127 million eligible voters participating. Alongside the election, a proposal for constitutional reforms – including prime ministerial term limits and strengthened checks on executive power – was also put to a vote, with a majority backing the changes, according to election officials.
The BNP is led by Tarique Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December 2025 after 17 years in self-imposed exile in London. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died in December 2025. Saleh Shibly, press secretary to Rahman, stated that the BNP leader has called for special prayers among supporters and discouraged celebratory rallies.
International Recognition and Congratulations
The BNP’s apparent victory has drawn congratulations from several international actors. The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka lauded the outcome as a “historic victory,” expressing a desire to collaborate with the new administration on shared goals. Similar sentiments were expressed by China, which stated its eagerness to work with the incoming government to strengthen bilateral relations. Leaders from India and Pakistan also extended their congratulations to Rahman.
Historically, Bangladesh has navigated complex relationships with its regional neighbors. India played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971 and enjoyed a close relationship with the Hasina government. Pakistan, conversely, was largely sidelined during Hasina’s tenure, a dynamic that appears to be shifting under the current interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Rise of Jamaat-e-Islami and Concerns Over Islamist Influence
The election saw a significant contest between the BNP and an 11-party alliance spearheaded by Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist political party. While the alliance did not achieve a majority, it secured at least 77 seats, marking a notable increase in its parliamentary representation.
Shafiqur Rahman, the head of Jamaat-e-Islami, won a seat in Dhaka and is expected to become the opposition leader. However, the party has raised concerns regarding the election process, alleging delays in the announcement of results in several constituencies and claiming “narrowly and suspiciously losing” in multiple areas. Assistant Secretary-General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair voiced these objections in a statement on Facebook.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by student leaders involved in the 2024 uprising and later aligning with the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition, also made gains, with its chief Nahid Islam and several other leaders securing victories.
A Test for Bangladesh’s Democracy
Thursday’s election was widely viewed as a critical test for Bangladesh’s democracy, taking place amidst concerns about democratic backsliding, political violence, and the erosion of the rule of law. The vote followed a student-led uprising in July 2024 that led to the removal of Sheikh Hasina from power. Many observers saw the election as an opportunity to restore faith in the democratic process and translate public protests into meaningful political reform.
For the past 15 years, the BNP has been largely relegated to the opposition, boycotting several elections and accusing Hasina’s government of electoral manipulation and political repression. Tarique Rahman himself spent 17 years in self-imposed exile while facing corruption and criminal charges, which he maintains were politically motivated. These charges were dropped following Hasina’s ouster, enabling his return to Bangladesh.
The BNP’s long-standing rivalry with Hasina’s Awami League has been a defining feature of Bangladesh’s political landscape. The Rahman and Zia families have dominated the country’s politics for decades, with Ziaur Rahman, Tarique’s father, serving as president until his assassination in 1981, and Khaleda Zia, his mother, holding the office of prime minister on two occasions.
Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, noted that while the outcome represents a setback for the spirit of the 2024 revolution, the BNP will face significant pressure to govern differently, given its historical associations with corruption and dynastic politics. “The BNP will need to be on its toes,” he said.
