For nearly two decades, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wandered through the political wilderness – bruised by defeat, burdened by cases, and battered by organisational fatigue. On Thursday, that long exile ended dramatically.
With 209 seats in the 13th National Parliament Election, the BNP did not just win – it redrew the political map. The verdict hands the party a commanding two-thirds majority and positions its chairman, Tarique Rahman, to become Prime Minister for the first time.
For supporters, it was redemption. For rivals, it was a political earthquake.
Night of resurgence
As results flowed in, Gulshan transformed into a theatre of release. Outside the BNP chairperson’s office, party activists gathered in waves – chanting slogans, waving flags, some in tears.
Inside, Tarique Rahman tracked each constituency update. But amid jubilation, he issued a pointed directive: no victory processions. The message was deliberate – discipline over triumphalism. “The defeated must feel safe,” senior leaders quoted him as saying.
After years of confrontational politics, the tone signalled an attempt at a reset.
The numbers that changed the game
According to the Election Commission of Bangladesh, unofficial results were declared for 297 constituencies. BNP alone secured 209 seats – well beyond the simple majority mark.
Its allies – Gano Odhikar Parishad, Bangladesh Jatiya Party and Gano Samhati Andolan –added three more seats collectively.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats, emerging as the principal opposition force. Its partners, including the National Citizen Party and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, secured additional representation. Islami Andolan Bangladesh won one seat, while independents clinched seven.
Voter turnout stood at 59.44 per cent. From 42,779 polling centres, ballots cast by over 12.7 crore registered voters delivered a decisive message.
Foreign observers described the election as peaceful and credible. Congratulatory messages poured in from Washington, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi and Islamabad – an early signal of the diplomatic recalibrations to come.
How did BNP pull off the comeback?
Political analysts argue that this victory was engineered, not accidental.
Rebuilding from the roots:
Over the past few years, BNP quietly repaired its grassroots machinery. Dormant district committees were revived, factional disputes mediated, and younger leaders promoted. The party leaned heavily on its 50-year-old nationwide network.
Strategic candidate selection:
Compared to earlier cycles, BNP exercised caution. Controversial figures were sidelined in favor of locally acceptable candidates with organisational clout and relatively clean public images.
Sympathy and sacrifice:
Years of legal battles and arrests while in opposition created a narrative of victimhood among supporters. The death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia added emotional weight to the campaign, particularly among long-time loyalists.
The Awami League factor:
With the Awami League absent from the race, the political field shifted dramatically. In Bangladesh’s bipolar political tradition, BNP stood as the largest organised force ready to capitalise on that vacuum.
A moderated message:
Tarique Rahman’s campaign avoided overtly aggressive rhetoric. Instead, speeches emphasised governance reform, economic recovery and institutional balance – an attempt to project stability rather than agitation.
Public fatigue with rivals:
Controversial remarks and internal divisions among competing parties fueled voter dissatisfaction, consolidating protest votes around the BNP in many constituencies.
Closing a 20-year chapter
The last time BNP formed a government was in 2001. What followed were turbulent years – caretaker governance, shifting alliances, prolonged opposition politics and relentless courtroom battles.
This 209-seat mandate, party leaders say, marks the end of that era.
“This is not just electoral arithmetic,” said a BNP executive committee member. “It is political restoration.”
Analysts, however, caution that landslides create towering expectations. A two-thirds majority offers legislative ease – but also leaves little room for excuses.
Power, and its promise
The symbolism of this victory is hard to ignore. A party once cornered now commands Parliament. A leader long directing politics from afar is set to occupy the highest executive office.
But the real test begins now.
Will this be remembered as a democratic renewal – or merely a shift in dominance? Will the new government institutionalise tolerance, or repeat old cycles of confrontation?
After two decades off the steering wheel, BNP is back in the driver’s seat. The road ahead is wide open – but the nation will be watching every turn.