Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secures Landslide Election Victory, Ending Political Turmoil

Bangladesh ended nearly two years of political upheaval this week — with the Tarique Rahman-led BNP securing a landslide election victory. The party returned to power after nearly 20 years on Friday as the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami took to the Opposition benches with 68 seats. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus is set to conclude its tenure after Rahman takes oath as the new Bangladesh Prime Minister on Tuesday. Yunus leaves behind a mixed legacy — with many opining that his interim government had steadied the free-falling economy but failed to restore security and protect human rights. Others have alleged that his administration neglected the safety of religious minorities amid a slew of killings that rocked Bangladesh in recent months and sparked protests in neighbouring India. “The task of the interim government will end with the election of a new government. We will hand over the responsibility to the newly elected government with deep pleasure and pride… and return to our own jobs. We ardently await that auspicious moment,” he said during a televised address hours after campaigning ended on February 10. He had also dismissed rumours that the interim government would not hand over power as “baseless propaganda” aimed at obstructing the democratic transition. Yunus said the elected government will quickly assume the responsibility — denying claims that he wished to become the new President of Bangladesh. The recently concluded elections gave a resounding majority to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party — with 209 out of 297 seats. Te right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami (known to be close to Pakistan) was a distant second with 68 seats while the the Awami League party led by ousted leader Sheikh Hasina was barred from contesting. The EC had postponed the announcement of results in two seats while polling was postponed for a third following the death of a candidate. The state Election Commission has published a gazette of the newly elected MPs as well as the referendum results. The focus has now turned to the swearing-in ceremony as Bangladesh seeks to end a tumultuous period that began with the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in 2024. BNP leader Tarique Rahman is set to become prime minister — replacing interim government chief Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in the next few weeks.