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

The BNP is headed by the 60-year-old Tarique Rahman, its prime ministerial candidate who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile in London. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died in December.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary-general of the BNP, extended congratulations to the people of Bangladesh on the party’s electoral victory in a statement. Separately, Saleh Shibly, press secretary to Rahman, said the BNP leader called on his supporters to hold special prayers alongside the weekly Friday service and not to hold any celebratory rallies and processions.

US, India and Pakistan congratulate the BNP’s Rahman

The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka congratulated Rahman and his party on the win, calling it a “historic victory.”

“The United States looks forward to working with you to achieve shared goals of prosperity and security for both our countries,” U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen wrote on X.

Leaders from India and Pakistan also lauded the BNP leader.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted the win “reflects the confidence of the Bangladeshi people in your leadership.” He added that he looks forward to collaborating with him to deepen bilateral ties.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari said his country “remains committed to a strong democratic partnership and advancing shared progress.”

Historically, Bangladesh has enjoyed mixed relationships with the two regional powers, India and Pakistan.

India helped Bangladesh gain independence from its rival Pakistan through a bloody war in 1971. India had a warm relation with Bangladesh under previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following the 2024 protests and sent to exile in India.

Pakistan remained sidelined under Hasina, but that has been reversed under the interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party makes inroads

The contest was largely a two-way race between the BNP and an 11-party alliance led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, a conservative religious party whose growing influence has fueled concern, particularly among women and minority communities.

Despite falling short of a majority, the alliance made a notable impact, securing at least 77 seats, according to local TV channels.

Shafiqur Rahman, who heads Jamaat-e-Islami, secured a seat in Dhaka and is poised to become the opposition leader in Parliament. But his party voiced objections to the handling of the election results.

The party’s assistant secretary-general, Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, said the Election Commission had delayed announcing results in several constituencies, calling the holdups “unusual.” In a statement on Facebook, the party also claimed that candidates from the alliance it heads were “narrowly and suspiciously losing” in multiple areas.

The National Citizen Party, established by student leaders of the uprising as a break from traditional politics but later aligning with the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition, also left its mark. Party chief Nahid Islam and at least three top leaders secured victories.

The vote was seen as test of Bangladesh’s democracy

Thursdays’ vote took place amid tight security and concerns of democratic backsliding, rising political violence and the fraying of the rule of law.

The election was the first since a bloody student-led revolt in July 2024 led to Hasina’s ouster. Many viewed it as a crucial test of Bangladesh’s ability to restore trust in democracy and transform public protests into tangible political reform.

The vote was held alongside a referendum for political reforms that include prime ministerial term limits and stronger checks on executive power. The result of that referendum is yet to be announced, but it is likely to be endorsed by voters.

BNP’s Rahman spent years in exile

For much of the past 15 years, the BNP languished in opposition, boycotting several elections and accusing Hasina’s government of systematic vote rigging and political repression. Tarique Rahman himself spent 17 years in self-imposed exile after Hasina’s government pursued multiple corruption and other criminal cases against him. He has denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.

Those cases were dropped after Hasina’s government collapsed, paving the way for his return to Bangladesh. His campaign has cast him as a defender of democracy in a country whose politics have long been shaped by entrenched parties, military interventions, and allegations of electoral manipulation.

Tarique Rahman’s BNP has for decades formed one half of the country’s entrenched dynastic political system. His father, Ziaur Rahman, rose from the ranks of the army to become a dominant political figure, serving as the country’s sixth president until his assassination in 1981. His mother Khaleda Zia, who first came to power in 1991, served two full five-year terms.

The party was the principal rival to Hasina’s Awami League party, now banned, and their long-running feud came to define Bangladesh’s political life.

Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council, said while the outcome appears as “a blow to the spirit of the 2024 revolution,” as the BNP has long been associated with corruption and dynastic politics, it will still face significant pressure to act differently this time.

“The BNP will need to be on its toes,” he said.

Sheikh Saaliq And Julhas Alam, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

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

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