Bangladesh Nationalist Party claims victory in country’s first election since 2024 uprising

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has claimed victory in the country’s first election since the 2024 uprising, positioning itself to form the next government and potentially reshape Bangladesh’s political landscape after years of intense rivalry and disputed polls.

The party’s media unit in a post on X Friday said it had secured enough seats in Parliament to govern on its own. Final results have not yet been announced by the Election Commission, though several local media outlets reported the party’s win.

BNP is headed by Tarique Rahman, its prime ministerial candidate. Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile in London. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died in December.

The vote was held Thursday amid tight security and concerns of democratic backsliding, rising political violence and the fraying of the rule of law. It was also the first election since a bloody student-led revolt in July 2024 led to the ouster of previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, sending her to exile in India.