(WebvDesk) – The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has secured a parliamentary majority in Bangladesh, according to results broadcast by Ekattor TV, as votes were counted following a closely watched national election.
The BNP won 151 seats in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, crossing the threshold required to form a simple majority government. Its main rival, the Jamaat-e-Islami, secured 42 seats.
Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman signaled the party was conceding even before BNP crossed the halfway mark.
The election marked the first national vote since the 2024 youth-led uprising that forced the removal of long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Voter turnout was strong, with local media estimating participation could exceed 60 percent, significantly higher than the 42 percent recorded in 2024.
More than 2,000 candidates, including many independents, contested the election, with at least 50 political parties participating — a national record. Voting in one constituency was postponed after the death of a candidate.
Opinion polls before voting suggested the BNP-led alliance had an advantage. The BNP contested 292 of the 300 seats, leaving the remaining to coalition partners.
The party is led by prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman.
The BNP’s election platform included financial assistance for low-income families, a proposed 10-year limit on holding the prime minister’s office, expanded foreign investment to boost economic growth, and anti-corruption initiatives.
