Bangladesh's 13th Parliamentary Elections: BNP Gains Momentum as Awami League Absent

As Bangladesh voted in its 13th parliamentary elections , exiled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed has signalled a possible political outreach to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), calling it the country’s “major party" and suggesting lines of communication could open soon. In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18 , Wazed said, “BNP is the major party in Bangladesh. We are going to reach out to them soon." The remarks come at a time when Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from contesting the elections. Wazed said the current electoral landscape had effectively become an “open field" for the BNP. “It’s an open field for BNP in the elections because there is no real opposition and we are barred from fighting the elections," he said. Despite the party’s absence from the ballot, Wazed insisted the Awami League remained politically relevant and would stage a comeback. “Awami League is not going anywhere because people of Bangladesh still love our party. We will make a comeback in Bangladesh," he said, adding that the country “developed the most under the Awami League." He also took aim at Jamaat-e-Islami, downplaying its support base while warning of consequences if it gains influence. “Jamaat has very little support in Bangladesh. If Jamaat has a say in the Bangladesh parliament, then terrorism will continue in the country," Wazed told CNN-News18 . Early results from Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections show the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance winning one seat each so far, according to local outlet Desh Rupantor. As per the latest figures, the BNP-led alliance has secured 46.7% of the votes counted till now, while the Jamaat-e-Islami and its partners have bagged 48.5%. The counting comes after polling concluded at 4:30 pm local time. Bangladesh Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said voter turnout stood at 47.91% till 2 pm, with final consolidated figures expected later in the evening. The high-stakes vote is being closely watched as the first national election since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Her Awami League was barred from contesting. She also demanded the “cancellation of this voterless, illegal and unconstitutional election," while praising voters for “boycotting and rejecting this election without the Awami League." Wazed further argued that progressive political parties had not been allowed to campaign freely, which he claimed had improved Jamaat’s electoral prospects. “All progressive parties in Bangladesh were not allowed to campaign. That’s why Jamaat has a good chance to win more seats in this election," he said.