The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is heading toward a decisive return to power, securing around 167 parliamentary seats in early results from Thursday’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad election, according to party figures. Jamaat-e-Islami has won approximately 59 seats, reshaping the country’s political map less than two years after the fall of the Awami League government.
The last time the BNP was voted to power was in the 2001 general election. This result, if confirmed, marks a dramatic political comeback and signals a clear shift in voter sentiment in the post-2024 landscape.
The vote — held alongside a nationwide constitutional referendum — is being described as the most consequential electoral exercise since the July–August 2024 mass uprising that led to the installation of an interim administration under Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Late Thursday night, speaking at the BNP’s election coordination office in Dhaka’s Gulshan district, Mahdi Amin, spokesperson for the party’s National Election Steering Committee and adviser to chairman Tarique Rahman, described the outcome as “clear and unavoidable.”
“The people have resisted intimidation,” Amin said. “Despite attempts to spread fear through coordinated social media campaigns, despite black money distribution and ballot irregularities in some areas, the people have voted decisively.”
Voting was held nationwide from 7:30am to 4:30pm, with counting beginning immediately afterward.
Even as it projected victory, the BNP alleged irregularities in several constituencies, including ballot stuffing, pre-stamped ballots and what Amin termed “election engineering.” He claimed that delays in counting and result announcements were particularly noticeable in Dhaka-8, Dhaka-11, Dhaka-13 and Dhaka-16. The Election Commission has not yet issued a detailed response to these claims.
I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership.
India will continue to stand in support of a democratic,…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2026
Despite raising concerns, BNP leaders thanked election officials and security forces for managing polling day and expressed condolences to families affected by election-related violence. Party activists were instructed to remain at polling centres until official confirmation of results.
In Thakurgaon-1, BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir secured a commanding lead, winning 228,075 votes against Jamaat candidate Delawar Hossain’s 132,584, based on results from 176 of 185 centres.
After casting his vote earlier in the day, Fakhrul described the election as a turning point. “This vote will determine the future direction of Bangladesh’s politics. Today marks a renewed democratic journey,” he said.
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman was unofficially declared victorious in Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6. In Bogura-6, he reportedly swept all 150 polling centres, receiving 216,284 votes with turnout exceeding 71 percent.
In six Dhaka constituencies where partial results were available by 11pm, the BNP led in three, Jamaat in two and the National Citizens Party (NCP) in one. Early turnout figures in several urban constituencies appeared comparatively low, though final nationwide turnout data is still awaited.
Alongside parliamentary voting, Bangladeshis also cast ballots in a referendum on sweeping constitutional reforms under the “July National Charter.” Preliminary district-level tallies indicate that the “Yes” camp is leading.
In Netrokona, partial results from 665 of 676 centres showed 589,283 votes in favour of the reforms and 359,747 against. Similar margins were reported in Cumilla and Mymensingh, while early figures from Khagrachhari showed the “No” vote slightly ahead.
If ratified, the reforms would significantly alter Bangladesh’s executive structure. Proposals include a two-term, 10-year limit for any prime minister; a ban on simultaneously holding the posts of prime minister and party chief; expanded presidential authority in appointing certain constitutional commissions; the introduction of a bicameral parliament with an upper house formed through proportional representation; and stricter thresholds for constitutional amendments.
Should the “Yes” vote prevail nationally, a constitutional reform council comprising newly elected MPs will be formed to implement the changes within 180 working days.
In Sylhet division, where full unofficial results were available late at night, the BNP secured 18 of 19 seats in a near sweep. The remaining seat went to Khelafat Majlis, while Jamaat failed to secure representation in the region.
Sylhet has traditionally reflected broader ideological undercurrents, balancing nationalist and religious constituencies. The BNP’s dominance there may signal consolidation among conservative and anti-incumbent voters in the post-uprising political environment.
Thursday’s vote was widely seen as a stress test for Bangladesh’s democratic reset following the ouster of the Awami League government. The interim administration had promised institutional reform, electoral transparency and constitutional recalibration.
Yet allegations of ballot irregularities, questionable observer credentials and financial misconduct may complicate the legitimacy narrative, even as the BNP appears set to form the next government.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman on the party’s likely decisive victory. In his message, Modi conveyed warm congratulations and said the outcome reflected the trust of the people of Bangladesh in Rahman’s leadership.
“India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh,” the Indian prime minister said. He added that he looked forward to working closely with Rahman to strengthen the two countries’ multifaceted relations and advance their common development goals.
If current projections hold, a BNP-led administration will assume office amid economic pressures, regional strategic competition and heightened scrutiny from international partners. The referendum outcome, if confirmed, could also reshape the balance of executive authority in ways that redefine governance beyond this electoral cycle.
For now, the party is projecting confidence.
“We believe the people have delivered a mandate,” Mahdi Amin said. “Democracy has prevailed.”
Final official results are expected in the coming hours.
