BNP set to win big in upcoming Bangladesh elections

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, is on track for a decisive victory in the country’s first elections since a deadly uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s regime. As of 5:30 AM Friday local time, TV stations projected that BNP had already surpassed the 150-seat threshold needed to secure a majority in Parliament.

In a party statement, senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called it a “sweeping victory” without giving specific figures but urged followers to pray for thanks on Friday rather than celebrate. The BNP projected securing 197 seats, far outpacing the Islamist-led coalition of Jamaat-e-Islami, which won just over half that number at 63.

The BNP’s Rahman, now poised to become prime minister at age 60, had expressed confidence in his party’s chances days before polling. “We are confident of winning a two-thirds majority and forming the government,” said BNP election committee spokesman Mahdi Amin. Party workers spent their nights outside BNP offices, readying themselves for a new era under Rahman.

Political clashes during campaigning resulted in five deaths and over 600 injuries, but polling day was largely peaceful. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who will lead the transition, emphasized unity for national progress: “We may have different views, but we must unite for our common cause.”

Yunus echoed his administration’s sweeping democratic reforms aimed at restructuring a government deemed broken since Hasina’s ouster last August. Voters also approved proposals for term limits, an upper house of Parliament, stronger presidential powers, and enhanced judicial independence in the referendum.

With security forces heavily deployed nationwide, UN experts warned about growing intolerance and threats ahead of voting. Despite these challenges, political observers praised the largely peaceful conduct of the elections as a step toward ending what Hasina called “the nightmare.”

The election’s results are not yet official; counting continues for all 299 constituencies out of 300 where voting took place. A further 50 seats reserved for women will be allocated from party lists. The BNP’s victory is seen as a significant moment for Bangladesh, ending years under autocratic rule and ushering in what many hope will be an era of stability and change.