Bangladesh election outcomes: Tarique Rahman’s BNP wins huge in historic parliamentary vote

[ad_1] Dhaka Reuters —

The Bangladesh Nationalist Social gathering gained a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, native TV stations confirmed, securing a convincing mandate in a pivotal vote that's anticipated to revive political stability within the South Asian nation.

The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh’s first vote because the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled lengthy‑time premier Sheikh Hasina.

A transparent consequence had been seen as essential for stability within the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million after months of lethal anti-Hasina unrest disrupted on a regular basis life and hit main industries, together with the attire sector on the earth’s second-largest garment exporter.

It was additionally the first national election to observe latest revolts led by the under-30s which have cropped up by way of the broader area. Nepal is about to carry a vote subsequent month.

Opinion polls had given BNP an edge and the celebration lived as much as the forecasts, with the coalition it dominates profitable 209 seats to safe an awesome two-thirds majority within the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or Home of the Nation, Jamuna TV confirmed.

Quickly after it gained a majority within the in a single day vote-count, the celebration thanked and congratulated the individuals and referred to as for particular prayers on Friday for the welfare of the nation and its individuals.

“Regardless of profitable the nationwide parliamentary election by a big margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised by BNP,” the celebration stated in an announcement and urged individuals to hope at mosques, temples, church buildings and pagodas throughout the nation.

The BNP is led by high prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman.

Its marketing campaign guarantees included monetary help for poor households, a 10-year restrict for a person to stay prime minister, boosting the economic system by measures together with international investments, and anti-corruption insurance policies.

Shafiqur Rahman, the top of BNP’s primary rival, the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat, together with his party-led alliance on simply 68 seats. Rahman stated Jamaat wouldn't have interaction within the “politics of opposition” for the sake of it. “We are going to do constructive politics,” he advised reporters.

The Nationwide Citizen Social gathering (NCP), led by youth activists who had been instrumental in toppling Hasina and was part of the Jamaat-led alliance, gained simply 5 of 30 seats it contested.

Regardless of the landslide outcome, the election had been seen as Bangladesh’s first really aggressive vote in years. Hasina’s Awami League celebration, which dominated the nation for greater than 15 years till her ousting, was barred from contesting.

Turnout appeared on observe on Thursday to exceed the 42% recorded within the final election in 2024. Native media reported that greater than 60% of registered voters had been anticipated to have forged ballots.

Greater than 2,000 candidates - together with many independents - had been on the poll, and not less than 50 events contested seats, a nationwide document. Voting in a single constituency was postponed after a candidate died.

Alongside the election, a referendum was held on a set of constitutional reforms, together with establishing a impartial interim authorities for election intervals, restructuring parliament right into a bicameral legislature, rising girls’s illustration, strengthening judicial independence and introducing a two-term restrict for the prime minister.

There was no official phrase on the end result of the referendum. Main native newspaper the Day by day Star reported that 73% of the practically 296,000 votes forged within the referendum stated ‘Sure’ and the remainder stated ‘No’.

Hasina is in self-imposed exile in long-term ally India, which has frayed ties between Dhaka and New Delhi and opened the window for China to increase its affect in Bangladesh.

In an announcement despatched after polling stations closed, Hasina denounced the election as a “fastidiously deliberate farce”, held with out her celebration and with out actual voter participation. She stated Awami League supporters had rejected the method.

“We demand the cancellation of this voterless, unlawful and unconstitutional election … the removing of the suspension imposed on the actions of the Awami League, and the restoration of the individuals’s voting rights by way of the association of a free, honest, and inclusive election underneath a impartial caretaker authorities,” she stated.