Bangladesh has witnessed a dramatic political transformation as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, achieved a landslide victory in the nation’s first parliamentary elections since the 2024 uprising that ousted long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Election Commission confirmed the BNP secured 212 of the 299 declared seats in the 350-member Jatiya Sangsad parliament. Jamaat-e-Islami, previously banned under Hasina’s administration, emerged as the principal opposition force with 77 seats in alliance with the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), which captured six seats. NCP leader Nahid Islam, among the youngest parliamentarians, won his constituency.
Hasina’s Awami League was barred from participation, culminating her 15-year authoritarian rule that ended with her fleeing to India. The elections coincided with a national referendum on the ‘July Charter,’ proposing comprehensive institutional reforms including enhanced female representation, prime ministerial term limits, strengthened presidential powers, and judicial independence protections. Preliminary counts indicate over 60% voter approval for the charter.
Despite the BNP’s anticipated victory—built upon months of protests addressing unemployment and inflation—both the NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami raised concerns about potential electoral irregularities and alleged ‘election engineering.’ The Election Commission reported a 59.88% voter turnout and characterized the process as relatively peaceful and credible.
Political analysts interpret this outcome as a triumph for democratic forces, though challenges persist in establishing good governance, rule of law, and political stability. The absence of the Awami League from parliament is expected to foster greater political diversity and potentially enhance parliamentary functionality.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina remains in India following her 2023 conviction for war crimes related to her government’s harsh treatment of protesters, a situation that continues to strain Bangladesh-India relations.