DHAKA: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, has announced that it has secured a majority of parliamentary seats and is on the verge of forming the next government. The election is the first round following the downfall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, and official results from the election commission have not yet been published. According to preliminary reports, the BNP and its allies have obtained 211 seats out of a total of 299 electoral constituencies, while the rival coalition led by the Jamaat-e-Islami has secured 70 seats. The opposing coalition has expressed dissatisfaction with the vote-counting process and raised questions about the validity of the announced results. Tarique Rahman, 60, son of General Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, returned to Bangladesh last December after nearly two decades in the United Kingdom. His campaign rallies have seen extensive attendance from supporters. Following the announcement of preliminary results, regional and global leaders, including Narendra Modi, Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif, and the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, have congratulated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on its victory. Simultaneously with the parliamentary elections, a referendum on proposed political reforms was also held, including limitations on prime ministerial terms and strengthening oversight of the executive branch, though official results for this referendum have yet to be released.
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