India is watching the election closely because of its potential impact on New Delhi's ties with Dhaka
The counting of votes in the Bangladesh national election early this morning showed Tarique Rahman's BNP securing a majority of seats, with the party winning 151 constituencies so far.
Here Are Top Point Of Bangladesh Election Results 2026
- Voting ended at 4 pm IST, and a projection around 5 am on Friday showed that the alliance led by the BNP had won 151 seats, while the Jamaat-led coalition had secured 43 seats, according to the Dhaka Tribune. Other TV stations also reported that BNP is leading in over 120 constituencies. Tarique Rahman's party has claimed the victory, saying, "BNP is set to form the government after winning the majority of seats."
- Voters cast their ballots for 299 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or parliament, for which the majority mark is 150. Voting was cancelled in the Sherpur-3 constituency following the death of a candidate. Another 50 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad are reserved for women, and they are elected based on the representation of parties in the 300 general seats.
- The elections were the first without two former prime ministers—Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed after a mass student-led uprising in August 2024 and has been in India since then, and former Bangladesh Nationalist Party head Khaleda Zia, who died in December last year—who have dominated politics in the country for decades.
- Zia's son Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to the country from exile after nearly 17 years following his mother's death and quickly emerged as a frontrunner for the prime minister's post in the absence of the Awami League, which could not contest because its registration was suspended.
- The BNP's main competitor is an 11-party alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was allied with the BNP for many years. Among the parties supporting the Jamaat is the National Citizen Party, a student and Gen-Z outfit born out of the anti-Hasina protests.
- According to early trends, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is likely to become the first ever Hindu MP from Dhaka since Bangladesh's liberation in 1971. Roy is expected to win the Dhaka 3 seat by a comfortable margin.
- Electors also voted in a referendum on the July National Charter, which contains major reform proposals agreed to by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and several political parties. Among the points in the charter are limiting prime ministers to two terms (10 years), establishing an upper house of parliament, and restoring the caretaker system – having a caretaker government take charge for 90 days before an election to ensure polls are free and fair.
- An upbeat Yunus, who is a Nobel Laureate, said election day was a day of great joy. "Today is the birthday of a new Bangladesh," he said, adding, "Voting for a candidate is important, but the referendum is very important. The whole of Bangladesh will change."
- Sheikh Hasina, however, termed the elections "deceptive" and called for them to be cancelled, claiming the turnout was low and polling stations were "completely empty of voters". "In this situation, we demand the cancellation of this voterless, illegal, and unconstitutional election; the resignation of Yunus", she said in a statement.
- India is watching the election closely because of its potential impact on New Delhi's ties with Dhaka, and Bangladesh's perceived closeness with Pakistan and China after Hasina's ouster. India has also condemned an uptick in attacks on minorities, including the killing of Hindus, in Bangladesh. Asked about the elections, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The election is going on in Bangladesh. We should wait for the outcome to see what sort of mandate has come...and thereafter, we will look at issues that are there."
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