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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has claimed victory in the country's first election since the 2024 Gen Z-led uprising, which overthrew former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On Friday, February 13, the party said on X that it had secured enough seats in Parliament to govern on its own, positioning itself to reshape Bangladesh's political landscape.
While final results have not been shared by the Election Commission, several local media outlets have reported the party's win.
BNP is led by Tarique Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile in London. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
The vote was held Thursday amid tight security and rising political violence. It was the first election since a student-led protest in July 2024 led to the ouster of previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, exiled in India.
For the last 15 years, the BNP has remained weak in opposition, boycotting several elections and accusing Hasina's government of systematic vote rigging and political repression.
Rahman himself spent 17 years in self-imposed exile after Hasina's Awami League government pursued multiple corruption and 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.
