Bangladesh Nationalist Party Claims Victory In Country’s First Election Since 2024 Uprising

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh Nationalist Party declares victory country’s first election since then 2024 uprisingHe is positioning himself to form the next government and potentially reshape Bangladesh’s political landscape after years of intense competition and disputed polls.

The party’s media unit X said in a post on Friday that it had won enough seats in Parliament to rule on its own. The final results have not yet been announced by the Election Commission, but some local media outlets reported that the party won.

under the chairmanship of BNP Tariq RahmanPrime Minister candidate. Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in London. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died in December.

BNP’s senior joint general secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in his statement, congratulated the people of Bangladesh on the party’s election victory. Separately, Rahman’s press secretary Saleh Shible said the BNP leader had appealed to his supporters to hold private prayers in addition to the weekly Friday prayer and not hold any celebratory ceremonies.

The US Embassy in Dhaka congratulated Rahman and his party on the victory, calling it a “historic victory”.

“The United States looks forward to working with you to achieve shared prosperity and security goals for both countries,” US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen wrote to X.

The contest was largely a two-way race between the BNP and the 11-party alliance led by the Islamist party. Jamaat-e-IslamiA conservative religious party whose growing influence has raised concerns, especially among men and women. minority communities.

Shafikur Rahman, president of Jamaat-e-Islami, has won a seat in Dhaka and is set to become opposition leader in Parliament. However, his party expressed objections to the handling of the election results.

Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, the party’s deputy general secretary, said the Election Commission had delayed declaring results in some constituencies, terming the wait as “unusual”. In a statement posted on Facebook, the party also claimed that candidates in the alliance it chairs “lost narrowly and suspiciously” in many areas.

Thursday’s vote It took place under strict security measures concerns about democratic decline, increased political violence and the erosion of the rule of law.

This election was the first since the bloody student-led uprising in July 2024 toppled the previous Prime Minister. Sheikh HasinaI’m sending it exile in india. Many saw this as an important test of Bangladesh’s ability to restore confidence in democracy and turn popular protests into concrete political reforms.

For most of the last 15 years, the BNP has languished in opposition, boycotting various elections and accusing Hasina’s government of systematic vote rigging and political pressure. Tariq Rahman spent 17 years in self-imposed exile after the Hasina government filed multiple corruption and criminal cases against him. He denied the accusations, saying they were politically motivated.

These cases were dropped after Hasina’s government collapsed, paving the way for her return to Bangladesh. His campaign portrayed him as a defender of democracy in a country whose politics have long been shaped by entrenched parties, military interventions and allegations of election manipulation.

Tarique Rahman’s BNP has formed half of the country’s deeply entrenched dynastic political system for decades. His father, Ziaur Rahman, rose from the army ranks to become a dominant political figure and served as the country’s sixth president until his assassination in 1981.

The party was the main rival of Hasina’s now-banned Awami League party, and their long-running feud has come to define Bangladesh’s political life.