Early counting trends in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections indicate a clear advantage for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, with the party leading in 50 of the 300 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad. The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance is trailing with leads in 18 constituencies, according to the latest updates. A simple majority in the 300-member House requires 151 seats.
BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman has already secured wins in Dhaka-17 and Bogra-6, according to local media reports, further cementing his position as the frontrunner in the race for prime minister. Party workers gathered outside BNP headquarters in Dhaka, celebrating as early trends pointed to significant gains across districts, including Netrokona, Tangail and Bogura.
In another confirmed result, Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo reported that BNP candidate Kamruzzaman Kamrul has won the Sunamganj-1 constituency. Citing election official Jony Roy, the newspaper said Kamrul secured 34,941 votes, comfortably defeating Jamaat’s Tofail Ahmed, who polled 20,040 votes. The margin underscores the BNP’s widening edge in key constituencies as counting progresses.
Counting is underway after polling concluded on Thursday in what has been described as Bangladesh’s first fully competitive national election since 2009. Voter turnout stood at 47.91% at the close of voting at 4:30 pm local time, Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said.
A Post-Hasina Political Shift
The election marks a watershed moment in Bangladesh’s politics following the mass uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure. Her Awami League was barred from contesting after its registration was cancelled, reshaping the political landscape into a direct contest between the BNP and a resurgent Jamaat-led 11-party coalition
Former prime minister Hasina, currently in exile in India, dismissed the election as a “well-planned farce”, alleging widespread irregularities, including vote-buying and ballot-stamping. In a statement posted by the Awami League, she claimed voter turnout was negligible and argued that the absence of her party undermined the legitimacy of the process.
The interim administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has maintained that the polls were conducted peacefully, with nearly 1 million security personnel deployed nationwide.
Dual Ballot And Referendum
Voters cast two ballots on Thursday — a white ballot for parliamentary candidates and a pink ballot for a national referendum on the proposed July Charter. The charter outlines reforms aimed at strengthening governance, limiting prime ministerial tenure, and preventing a return to authoritarian rule.
More than 127 million citizens were eligible to vote in the country of nearly 170 million people. A total of 1,981 candidates contested the election, including 109 women.
Key Issues And What’s At Stake
The vote is widely seen as a referendum on governance and economic management. Corruption remains the top concern among voters, followed by inflation, which rose to 8.58% in January, economic recovery and employment generation for a youth-heavy population. Nearly 40% of Bangladeshis are under 30, and about five million are first-time voters.
The BNP has campaigned on strengthening democratic institutions, reviving economic growth and restoring the rule of law. Meanwhile, the Jamaat-led bloc has sought to capitalise on youth mobilisation and promises of ethical governance and social justice.
With trends favouring the BNP but official results still awaited, the coming hours are expected to determine whether Tarique Rahman’s political comeback after 17 years in exile culminates in a parliamentary majority or whether the contest tightens as more constituencies declare final results.
The final tally, including results of the referendum, is expected after a prolonged counting process due to the dual-ballot system.
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