TheBangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) on Friday claimed victory in the crucial general elections to elect a new government to replace the interim administration, which took charge after the fall of the Awami League regime in August 2024. The Daily Star media outlet reported that vote counting has been completed in 249 constituencies, with just 50 remaining. Of the 299 seats, BNP and allies have secured 181 seats, while Jamaat and allies have 61 seats. BNP chairman and former premier Khaleda Zia's son,Tarique Rahman, is poised to be the next prime minister of Bangladesh.
The elections were seen as a direct contest between the BNP and its former ally Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's now debarred Awami League. They come at a critical time in the country's history, almost two years after the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted following a student-led movement in July 2024.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Islamic conservative party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which was leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed following the student-led uprising, along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, were the main competitors in the elections. BNP was last in power last time between 2001 and 2006 when Jamaat was its crucial partner, with two of its leaders serving as ministers.
As results begun to trickle in signalling a landslide mandate for BNP, Jamaat raised allegations of "abnormal delays" and "result tampering," warning that it would launch a tough movement if the public mandate were "snatched away". Jamaat's major ally in an 11-party right-wing alliance, the National Citizen Party (NCP), floated with interim government chief Muhammad Yunus last year, also brought allegations of "result tampering and planned fraud" in multiple Dhaka seats in particular.
Speaking to reporters at the Election Commission building early morning, Jamaat's assistant secretary general Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair alleged that returning officers were intentionally delaying results to favour a "particular party."
"In the seats contested by our top leaders, results should have been declared by 8 pm or 9 pm according to the signed sheets given to polling agents," Zubair said.
The party has secured over 30 seats, including the Dhaka-15 seat, as per the latest results on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December last year after over 17 years in self-exile, asked party leaders and activists to offer special prayers across the country after mid-day 'Juma' prayers instead of holding victory rallies.
A final announcement by the Election Commission is awaited.
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Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
