The initial trends in the general elections of Bangladesh have made the political picture clear to a great extent. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) seems to be moving towards forming the next government with a strong lead. According to the data available amid the ongoing counting of votes for the 300-member Parliament, the party is close to majority. However, the Election Commission has not yet announced the official results.
What are the latest trends?
Latest trends show BNP winning 207 seats. Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami, which contested the elections as an alliance of 11 parties, has secured 46 seats. National Citizen Party has won 6 seats, while independent and other candidates have won 5 seats. A spokesperson of the Commission said that counting of votes is going on in some areas and the final results will be released soon.
These elections were held after the interim government, which was led by Mohammad Yunus. This interim administration came to power after the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024 and remained in office for about 18 months. This time the main contest centered between BNP and its former ally Jamaat-e-Islami. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League did not contest the elections, because the existence of the party has already ended.
Voters did not just limit themselves to electing parliamentary representatives, but also gave their opinion on an 84-point reform proposal called the ‘July National Charter’. This proposal envisages comprehensive changes in the political and administrative structure.
Who will become PM if BNP wins?
BNP has clearly indicated that if it forms the government, the responsibility of the post of Prime Minister will be given to party chief and son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Tariq Rehman. Party’s Central Election Steering Committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin expressed confidence that BNP will form a stable government by securing more than two-thirds of the seats.
Strict security arrangements were made across the country during the elections. Voting was conducted peacefully amid deployment of around one million security personnel. Counting of votes started as soon as voting ended at 4:30 pm. More than 2,000 candidates were in the fray on 299 seats out of 300, while in one area voting was postponed due to the death of a candidate. Tariq Rehman appealed to the supporters to organize prayer meetings instead of celebrations, so that peace and harmony can be maintained in the country after the election results.
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