DHAKA: Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday (Feb 13), returning to power after nearly two decades and positioning party leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister as the country emerges from months of unrest and economic disruption.
Rahman, the son of former premier Khaleda Zia and assassinated former President Ziaur Rahman, faces immediate challenges in restoring political stability, reviving investor confidence and rebuilding key industries – including the garment sector – after prolonged turmoil that followed the collapse of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024.
An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been in charge since then.
A clear outcome was seen as key for the nation of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and industries, including garment manufacturing. Bangladesh is the number two exporter of apparel in the world.
“A strong majority gives the BNP the parliamentary strength to pass reforms efficiently and avoid legislative paralysis. That alone can create short-term political stability,” said Selim Raihan, an economics professor at the University of Dhaka.
YOUNG ACTIVIST PARTY SLUMPS
The official count in a vote viewed as the South Asian nation’s first truly competitive election in years gave the BNP and its allies at least 212 of the 299 seats up for grabs, the Election Commission said.
The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 77 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation. Results for two seats were yet to be declared.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), led by youth activists who played a key role in toppling Hasina and part of a Jamaat-led alliance, won just six of the 30 seats that it contested, highlighting the difficulty of converting protest momentum into electoral support.
Rahman, 60, has not yet commented even though more than 15 hours have passed since trends in favour of his party became clear.
He smiled and waved from his vehicle to journalists gathered outside his house in Dhaka as he left for a mosque, television footage showed.
The BNP asked people to refrain from large celebrations and offer special prayers on Friday instead.
“Despite winning … by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised,” the party said in a statement.
In its manifesto, the BNP promised to prioritise job creation, protect low-income and marginal households and ensure fair prices to farmers.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/bangladesh-bnp-wins-sweeping-election-majority-stability-5927666
