Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on leading his party to a decisive victory in Bangladesh’s parliamentary election.
“I convey my warm congratulations to Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh,” Modi wrote on his verified X account.
"This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership,” he added.
“India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh.”
“I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” PM added.
"The newly elected government now faces an uphill task of restoring democracy, law and order and economic growth to the country. To some, the return of the BNP – a dynastic party whose previous regime was riddled with rampant corruption – did not represent the spirit of reform and hunger for change that had driven the student-led uprising against Hasina," says a commentary in London-based The Guardian.
In the past, the Awami League secured a two-thirds majority five times, the BNP secured it twice by itself, and once with allies, and the Jatiya Party once. Strikingly, both AL and BNP achieved two-thirds majorities in elections where the opposition was absent.
Voting was largely peaceful in an election seen as a test of Bangladesh’s democracy after years of political turmoil.
By Friday morning, results had shown a clear win for the BNP, returning them to power after 20 years.
“This victory was expected,” said Salahuddin Ahmed, a senior BNP leader.
“It is not surprising that the people of Bangladesh have placed their trust in a party … capable of realising the dreams that our youth envisioned during the uprising.”
Multiple challenges lay ahead for the new BNP government, which has pledged a new era of democracy and zero tolerance towards corruption.
This need not be a time for celebration, as India's key neighbour will face mounting challenges in building a country free from discrimination and growing radical influence.
The BNP had won 181 seats while their rival, the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, had claimed 61 seats. As counting continued, BNP leaders said the party was confident of winning 200 seats and securing a two-thirds majority.
India was among the first countries to congratulate the BNP. Relations between the two neighbours had plummeted since the fall of Sheikh Hasina in Aug 2024.
The US and Pakistan also congratulated the BNP on their election victory.
Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of exile in London, is now poised to become the country’s next prime minister. He comes from one of the country’s most powerful political dynasties; the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman.
Tarique's father who was assassinated in 1981.
Shafiqur Rahman, the head Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat, with his party and its allies on at least 61 seats. Rahman said Jamaat would not engage in the “politics of opposition” for the sake of it.
“We will do positive politics,” he told reporters.
Nonetheless the results are a historic showing for the Islamist party, which had previously never held more than 18 seats in parliament.
Ends
The past three elections had been marred by widespread allegations of vote-rigging, the stuffing of ballot boxes and harassment and jailing of political opponents.
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