The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide election Friday, securing a resounding mandate that will see party chief Tarique Rahman lead the country.
The 12 Feb election was Bangladesh’s first since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long‑time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The counting of votes began soon after the voting closed Thursday.
Bangladesh’s Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) has 350 members. Of the total 350 seats, 300 are filled through direct voting, while the remaining 50 seats—reserved for women—are filled through proportional representation. To form the government, a party or alliance must win at least 151 of the 300 seats filled through direct voting.
Alongside the parliamentary polls, the country also voted on a national referendum, which was to decide the fate of the ‘July Charter’ reform package endorsed by the interim government.
Stay tuned to ThePrint for the latest.
Bangladesh elections 2026 | HIGHLIGHTS
6 pm: Tarique Rahman oath-taking on Sunday
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman will be sworn in as Bangladesh’s next prime minister Sunday, ThePrint has learnt.
According to The Daily Star, BNP and its allies have won 212 of 299 seats where polling was held Thursday. Jamaat and its allies have together secured 77 seats, while eight seats have been won by others, including seven Independent candidates.
4.45 pm: BNP leader says will seek Hasina’s extradition
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed was quoted as saying by Daily Star that the next government will seek extradition of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina from India. “We will urge the government of India to send her back to face trial,” he said.
Hasina took refuge in India in August 2024 after protests after erupted and turned violent.
A Dhaka court last year sentenced her to death in absentia for crimes against humanity. At the time, the interim government led by Yunus Mohammad had written to New Delhi, seeking Hasina’s extradition. India’s foreign affairs ministry had said that the request was being “examined”.
4.30 pm: Referendum figures tell a cautionary tale
The final referendum results show that 4.8 crore voters opted for ‘yes’ to the July Charter, but another 2.25 crore said ‘no’.
That means about one-thirds of the voters said ‘no’ despite the two key parties, Jamaat and BNP running their campaigns on a pro-reform agenda. Analysts say it is likely that votes by Awami League supporters and those with Left-leaning views were consolidated against reforms.
These figures may also indicate that the Tarique Rahman-led BNP government might need to tread carefully in implementing the reforms.
3.50 pm: PM speaks with Tarique Rahman
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on X, “Delighted to speak with Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections. I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples.”
Delighted to speak with Mr. Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections.
I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.
As two close neighbours with deep-rooted…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2026
3.30 pm: Awami League stronghold rejects reforms
The Daily Star reported that in Gopalganj, a traditional stronghold of the now-banned Awami League, most voters opted for ‘no’, when it came to the reforms referendum.
“A total of 1,28,298 votes were cast for ‘No’ against 54,716 for ‘Yes’ in Gopalganj-1. In Gopalganj-2, total 1,07,290 voters supported ‘No’, while 34,302 voted ‘Yes’ and Gopalganj-3 recorded 93,368 ‘No’ votes compared to 33,498 ‘Yes’ votes,” the report read.
Multiple analysts have spoken about a possible challenge for the BNP when it forms a government in Bangladesh — how to assuage supporters of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League, which was banned from contesting the election after her ouster in 2024.
While Gopalganj voters have rejected reforms, a vast majority of the country, over 70 percent of the total, has chosen ‘yes’, which gives the government a clear mandate to implement them.
3 pm: When will official data by declared?
With Jamaat raising concerns about the poll panel not declaring the results officially, another question has arisen on the timing of government-formation. Local media earlier reported that Tarique Rahman was expected to take oath as Prime Minister on Saturday, but this could get delayed if the Election Commission doesn’t officially declare the results, with granular data on votes counted.
Al Jazeera reported that BNP will form the government Sunday. Under the country’s Constitution, government can be formed after EC announces the results.
Earlier Friday, Election Commissioner Brig. Gen. (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah had expressed gratitude for a free and fair election in the country.
“We had only one commitment to the nation – to conduct a neutral election. We have tried our best to ensure that. We are deeply grateful to the people of the country as they participated spontaneously in this massive arrangement. This has proved that we are ultimately victorious as a nation,” he had said at a press briefing.
2.40 pm: BNP extends its lead
Latest results show that BNP and its allies are leading in 213 of the 296 constituencies declared till now.
According to Daily Star, results were pending for three constituencies, with one of them deferred. Results for two seats, Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4, were suspended and will be announced later, the country’s poll panel said, without citing a reason.
2 pm: Ex-High Commissioner says India’s ties with BNP will be good for subcontinent
Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri said Thursday’s election was a “great victory” for the country and Rahman, especially considering that his party BNP was the main rival.
“I am sure India will have very good relations with the BNP, and it will be very good for the subcontinent, for South Asia, and for India’s neighbourhood-first foreign policy,” she told news agency ANI.
1.40 pm: About NCP victors
Among the handful of seats that the NCP has won includes some student leaders who were instrumental in forming the party after the 2024 protests that ousted the Hasina government.
Nahid Islam, the party convener, won the Dhaka-11 seat, and Akhter Hossen, the party’s secretary, was won Rangpur-4, reported Prothom Alo.
1.30 pm: Rahman to take oath tomorrow
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman is likely to take oath as the country’s Prime Minister on Saturday, news agency PTI reported.
1.25 pm: Mamata congratulates ‘Tarique bhai’
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee posted on X, “My hearty congratulations, shubhonandan, to all my brothers and sisters, all the people, in Bangladesh. My advance Ramazan mubarak to all of them… For this great victory, my congratulations to my Tarique-Bhai, his party, and all the parties. Pray, you all be well and happy.”
She added, “Wish that our relations with Bangladesh be always cordial.”
1.15 pm: Latest trends
As of 1 pm, BNP and its allies had won 208 seats out of 284 constituencies declared by the Election Commission. Jamaat was second, with 69 seats, and Islami Andolon Bangladesh and others remained at a tally of 7.
Counting of votes for a total of 299 parliamentary seats will be completed by the end of the day. Polling for one seat was deferred after the death of a candidate.
12.40 pm: Tarique Rahman on way to offer prayers
BNP leader Tarique Rahman left his residence to offer prayers at Gulshan mosque.
VIDEO | Dhaka: BNP leader Tarique Rahman leaves his residence to offer prayer at Gulshan mosque.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday claimed victory in the crucial general elections, marred by sporadic incidents of violence, to elect a new government to replace the… pic.twitter.com/URMf3SO5CT
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 13, 2026
12.30 pm: China, too, congratulates Bangladesh for ‘smooth’ election
The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, in a Facebook post Friday, congratulated Dhaka on a “smooth and successful” election and the BNP for taking the lead. The embassy said it looks forward to working with the new government and “writing new chapters of China-Bangladesh relations”.
12.15 pm: Congress leaders congratulate BNP
On Bangladesh elections, Congress leader Rajiv Shukla congratulated BNP for its victory. “I extend heartfelt congratulations to them… We hope that Tarique Rahman, in collaboration with India, will foster an environment of cooperation and both nations will advance together on the path of progress,” he said.
12.05 pm: Nearly 73% votes ‘yes’ in reforms referendum
72.9 percent of voters opted for ‘yes’ in the referendum that posed the question on endorsing an “Implementation Order” — a legal instrument that would trigger a chain of events leading to wide-ranging constitutional reforms, ThePrint’s Debdutta Chakraborty reports from Dhaka.
Of the July National Charter’s 84 recommendations, 47 would require amendments to the Constitution and were subject to the referendum. The remaining reforms could be enacted without constitutional change.
12 pm: BNP thanks PM Modi, other leaders for wishes
BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan told news agency ANI that the party’s victory was a win for democracy and Bangladesh.
He said there were several reasons behind Rahman’s request not to celebrate the win in rallies. “… the most significant being the immense sacrifices made during our struggle. Hundreds and thousands of our activists have been martyred, many have disappeared… We owe it to them to show respect and honour their sacrifices. We also pay our deepest respects to Begum Khaleda Zia, who recently passed away,” he said, adding that the party would fulfil its promises to citizens.
On PM Modi’s wishes, Khan said: “We acknowledge and welcome the congratulations from the Prime Minister of India, as well as leaders and diplomats from other countries. We are grateful for their support and look forward to strengthening our friendly relations.”
STORY | BNP thanks India for recognising B'desh election verdict, hopes for stronger bilateral ties
The BNP on Friday thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising the verdict of Bangladesh's general elections and hoped that the relations between the two… https://t.co/fIehMlrFeh
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 13, 2026
11.45 am: BNP claims wins in 200+ seats
Bangladesh’s Daily Star reported that according to official results and BNP’s estimate, the party and its allies have won 208 out of the 284 constituencies declared so far, putting it on course for a two-thirds majority in the country’s Parliament. Jamaat was second, with leads in around 60 seats.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, has pegged final voter turnout to 59.4 percent for Thursday’s election.
11.20 am: ‘I have a plan’—what Tarique Rahman had said in 1st speech on Bangladesh soil upon return after 17 yrs
Invoking Martin Luther King Jr’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in his first public address on returning to Bangladesh in December 2025 after nearly 17 years in exile, Tarique Rahman had launched a scathing attack on what he described as Sheikh Hasina’s “dictatorship”. He had warned against violence by “hegemonic powers” and unveiled his electoral campaign.
“As a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, I want to say: I have a plan for the people of my country, for my country,” he had said. “Today, this plan is for the benefit of the people of the country, for the development of the country, for changing the fate of the people of the country.”
Opening his address with the words “Dear Bangladesh”, Rahman had outlined a vision for a “safe Bangladesh” inclusive of all communities. “This country has people from the hills as well as from the plains,” he said. “People of various religions, including Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus, live here. We want to build a Bangladesh together—the kind of Bangladesh a mother dreams of.”
11.10 am: NCP wins 4 seats so far
National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by students who led the July 2024 revolution against Sheikh Hasina’s government, has managed to win only four so far of the 30 seats they were contesting as part of Jamaat alliance.
11.05 am: Kharge congratulates BNP
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge also extended congratulations to Tarique Rahman and BNP for winning the parliamentary elections.
“A democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh would always be supported by all Indians for the stability and peace of our region,” he wrote.
On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I congratulate Mr. Tarique Rahman and the BNP for winning the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
India and Bangladesh share deep rooted bonds of history, language, culture, and multitude of other commonalities.
A democratic,…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 13, 2026
11.00 am: Who is Tarique Rahman?
BNP chief Tarique Rahman’s return to Dhaka in December 2025 amid political upheaval after nearly 17 years of self-imposed exile had marked a consequential political moment, setting the stage for a high-stakes election.
Rahman, the eldest son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, had arrived from London with his wife Zubaida and daughter Zaima amid extraordinary security arrangements and mass mobilisation by his party.
Rahman had been living in London since 2008, after leaving Bangladesh following 17 months in detention under a military-backed caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed. He was facing multiple charges, including a plot to assassinate Awami League president Sheikh Hasina—which he maintained were all politically motivated.
Under the Yunus administration, he was acquitted in all 84 cases. His return was then pegged on security barriers and once election dates were announced, Rehman announced his return.
Between 2008 and late 2025, Rahman led the BNP from exile in London. In December 2009, he was elected senior vice chairman of the party at its 5th National Council in Dhaka. In 2015, he registered a private PR and communications firm, White and Blue Consultants Limited, in the UK, initially listing his nationality as British before amending it to Bangladeshi in 2016. Read Debdutta Chakraborty’s report from December.
ThePrint Editor-In-Chief Shekhar Gupta had also looked at Rahman’s return in CutTheClutter Ep 1776, exploring why it was a positive step in the lead-up to the elections. Watch:
10.30 am: Jamaat raises doubts about integrity of results process
In a statement, the Jamaat-e-Islami has said that the party is “not satisfied with the process surrounding the election results”. Alleging inconsistencies and fabrications, the party said, “From candidates of the 11-party alliance narrowly and suspiciously losing in various constituencies, to repeated inconsistencies and fabrications in unofficial result announcements, the Election Commission’s reluctance to publish voter turnout percentages, and indications that a section of the administration leaned towards a major party- all of this undoubtedly raises serious questions about the integrity of the results process.”
It added, “Therefore, we urge everyone to remain patient and await the official programme of the 11-party alliance.”
10.00 am: Pakistan reaffirms ‘strong support for democratic partnership’ with Bangladesh
President Asif Ali Zardari congratulates BNP and its chief Tarique Rahman for the “landslide victory”. A statement by him reads, “Pakistan reaffirms strong support for democratic partnership and shared progress ahead.”
🇵🇰🇧🇩 President Asif Ali Zardari felicitates Tarique Rahman on BNP’s landslide victory and congratulates the people of Bangladesh on their successful, peaceful polls. Pakistan reaffirms strong support for democratic partnership and shared progress ahead. @trahmanbnp @bdbnp78
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) February 13, 2026
9.50 am: Tarique Rahman calls for special prayers, no celebratory rallies
With BNP on course to win, its chairman Tarique Rahman has called for restraint and nationwide prayers rather than public celebrations, The Daily Star reported. Directions have been issued to leaders and party workers to offer special prayers.
Tarique has asked party leaders and supporters not to organise any victory rallies or gatherings.
9.40 am: US congratulates BNP
The US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen has extended congratulations to BNP and Tarique Rahman for their “historic victory”.
Congratulations to the people of Bangladesh on a successful election and to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Tarique Rahman on your historic victory. The United States looks forward to working with you to realize shared goals of prosperity and security for both our countries.
— Ambassador Brent T. Christensen (@USAmbBangladesh) February 13, 2026
9.30 am: 65% vote in favour of July Charter, counting continues
Of the 4,137,196 votes cast, 2,700,844 (65.3 percent) people have voted in favour of the July Charter in the referendum, while 1,436,352 (34.7 percent) have voted no.
The July Charter was endorsed by the interim government in the aftermath of the July 2024 student uprising that had ousted the Sheikh Hasina government. The charter is meant to introduce key constitutional reforms.
9.25 am: 60% voter turnout
The Bangladesh Election Commission has announced the total turnout in Thursday’s polling as 60.69 percent.
9.20 am: Modi congratulates Tarique Rahman
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered congratulations to Tarique Rahman and the BNP over their victory in the elections. He wrote on X, “India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh.”
I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership.
India will continue to stand in support of a democratic,…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2026
9.10 am: Latest trends
Counting has been completed on 249 seats as it continues for the remaining 50. As of 9.10 am, of the 299 seats which went to polls, BNP has won 181, Jamaat and its allies 61, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and others have won 7 seats so far, The Daily Star reports.
9.00 am: At least 9 die during polling
At least nine people, including a BNP leader, a presiding officer and a polling officer died amid the polling Thursday.
Some of them fell ill at polling centres, some on their way after voting, and some while performing their duties at the centres, Prothom Alo reported.
BNP leader Mahibuzzaman Kochi died Thursday at a polling centre in Khulna. The party alleged attack by Jamaat workers.
8.45 am: Tarique Rahman set to be first male PM in 36 years
The outcome positions BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, 60, as the frontrunner to become Bangladesh’s next prime minister. If confirmed, he would be the country’s first male head of government in 36 years, ending a long period dominated by female leaders.
For decades, Bangladesh stood out globally for being led by women: Rahman’s mother Khaleda Zia of the BNP served two full terms, while Hasina of the Awami League governed for four terms spanning 15 years.
8.30 am: Signs of a landslide win for BNP
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has secured a commanding majority in the country’s 13th parliamentary elections, marking a dramatic political shift following Hasina’s ouster about a year and a half ago.
According to the first batch of semi-official results released by the country’s Election Commission, BNP is on course to win 73 of the first 100 declared seats—an indication of a landslide. Unofficial results from 41 constituencies show BNP candidates prevailing in the vast majority of races.