The Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP) has claimed victory within the nation’s first election since a student-led rebellion that ousted longtime chief Sheikh Hasina in 2024.
Unofficial outcomes confirmed by election officers to Al Jazeera on Friday confirmed the BNP profitable 209 seats, simply crossing the 151-seat threshold wanted for a majority in parliament.
Its chief, Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is now set to turn into the nation’s subsequent prime minister. BNP officers mentioned the occasion anticipated to type a authorities by Sunday.
The BNP was adopted by Jamaat-e-Islami, which secured 68 seats in Thursday’s polls – its highest-ever tally.
The occasion, which is led by Shafiqur Rahman and contested for the primary time since a 2013 ban that was lifted after Hasina’s ouster, said it’s not “happy” with the vote rely and raised “critical questions concerning the integrity of the outcomes course of”.
The Nationwide Citizen Occasion (NCP), led by youth activists instrumental in toppling Hasina and a part of a Jamaat-led alliance, received simply six of the 30 seats that it contested.
The Election Fee has but to formally announce the ultimate tally, which is anticipated both in a while Friday or on Saturday.
Turnout stood at nearly 60 p.c of registered voters, in response to the Election Fee, properly over the practically 42 p.c within the final election in 2024.
The election featured a file variety of events, greater than 50, and a minimum of 2,000 candidates, lots of them independents. The parliament contains 350 lawmakers, with 50 seats reserved for girls.
Greater than 127 million individuals have been eligible to solid their votes, with many expressing enthusiasm for what was extensively seen as Bangladesh’s first aggressive vote in years.
An interim authorities led by Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, 85, has been in workplace since Hasina fled to India in 2024 after widespread protests led largely by younger individuals, who have been killed of their tons of by safety forces.
Tarique Rahman, who has by no means held authorities workplace, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of self-imposed exile in the UK. The 60-year-old has but to touch upon the unofficial outcomes however on Friday, he waved from his automotive as he left his home within the capital, Dhaka, for a mosque.
In an announcement, the BNP requested individuals to chorus from giant celebrations and provide particular prayers as a substitute.
“Regardless of profitable … by a big margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised,” the occasion mentioned in an announcement.
‘Litmus check’
The 78-year-old former leader, Hasina, was sentenced to dying in absentia for crimes in opposition to humanity for the bloody crackdown on protesters throughout her closing months in energy, and stays in hiding in India. Her Awami League occasion was barred from the election.
BNP members have mentioned the occasion would formally request Hasina’s extradition from India. In its manifesto, the BNP promised to prioritise job creation, defend low-income and marginal households and guarantee truthful costs to farmers. Tarique Rahman has additionally promised to revive a stagnant financial system, reset ties with nations within the area and crack down on corruption.
Abbas Faiz, an impartial South Asia researcher, mentioned the election was a check of how Bangladesh was “prepared for democracy”.
“Additionally, a check of the political events which have been ready to participate within the elections. They’ve really understood the aspirations and the desires of the individuals of their nation for the removing of corrupt practices within the administration and parliament,” Faiz informed Al Jazeera.
He added the election is the “litmus check” which places duty on the “shoulders of the brand new authorities”.
However Faiz defined that the election would have been “fairer” if all events, together with the Awami League, have been allowed to take part.
“However in a approach, the issue lies with the Awami League itself, as a result of it didn’t reimage itself as a celebration that could possibly be trusted by the final populace in Bangladesh,” he mentioned.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the US ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T Christensen, have been among the many first to congratulate Rahman on his occasion’s victory. China’s embassy in Dhaka additionally congratulated the BNP over its election exhibiting.
The election fee additionally mentioned some 48 million voters selected “Sure” whereas about 23 million mentioned “No” in a referendum on constitutional reforms held alongside the election, although there was no official phrase on the end result.
The modifications embody two-term limits for prime ministers and stronger judicial independence and girls’s illustration, whereas offering for impartial interim governments throughout election durations and organising a second home of the 300-seat parliament.
Fahmida Khatun, an economist and govt director of the Dhaka-based Centre for Coverage Dialogue, informed Al Jazeera that early indicators help the notion of a reputable election.
Though heavy safety was reported throughout polling stations, “broadly, the voting was peaceable”, Khatun mentioned, pointing to the voter turnout determine as an indicator of wholesome participation.
“This means residents needed to train their voting rights and so they needed to decide on their very own individuals,” she added.
A number of hundred worldwide observers monitored Thursday’s voting, with the European Union’s Election Commentary Mission anticipated to difficulty a preliminary report on its findings on Sunday.
