‘Victory belongs to Bangladesh’: Tarique Rahman calls for unity in maiden speech after BNP win | World News

He made his first speech after the historic victory of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the Bangladesh national elections.

BNP chief Tarique Rahman called for unity on Saturday. The incumbent Prime Minister also dedicated the party’s victory to “those who sacrificed for democracy”.

“This victory belongs to Bangladesh, democracy and the people who desired it and sacrificed for it. From today, we are all free, the true essence of freedom and rights has been restored,” Rahman said at a press conference on Saturday. he said.

The BNP achieved a landslide victory in Bangladesh’s 13th national elections held on February 12, and the results were announced on Friday. Tarique Rahman won the elections from Dhaka and Bogura, while the party secured 209 seats, well above the majority required to form the government.

“With your spontaneous participation, after more than a year and a half, a parliament and government accountable to the people are being re-established in the country through direct voting,” Rahman said, calling for unity “to ensure that no evil force restores autocracy or turns the nation into a subservient state.”

The elections were crucial for Bangladesh and were the first since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student-led uprising in July 2024. Hasina fled to India, where she has lived in exile ever since; The Awami League party was banned from participating.

The Bangladesh elections were the first since Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student-led uprising in July 2024, forcing her to flee to India.

BNP leader Tarique Rahman, who returned from a 17-year exile in London after corruption charges were dismissed, won a decisive victory, giving the BNP 209 seats.

The polls followed the interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Younis, who released political prisoners, banned the Awami League and simultaneously held a National Referendum that overwhelmingly supported the July National Charter reforms.

Rahman dedicated the victory to “those who made sacrifices” and promised to prevent any “evil force” from restoring obedience.

Bangladesh is also preparing to implement the constitutional reforms proposed in the July National Charter, supported by the maximum votes received in the National Referendum held in conjunction with the general elections.