42 parties go home empty handed

Not a single candidate from 42 parties failed to win a seat in the recently concluded 13th Parliamentary Election, leaving them without representation in the new parliament, according to unofficial results.

Voting was held across 299 of the country’s 300 constituencies from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm on Thursday, conducted in a festive and orderly atmosphere. For the first time, a national referendum was also held alongside the parliamentary election.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance achieved a decisive victory, winning 212 out of 297 declared constituencies by Friday afternoon. The BNP alone secured 207 seats, while its coalition partners, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Gano Sanghati Andolon, won one seat each.

The BNP fielded candidates in 293 constituencies, leaving the remaining seven for its coalition partners.

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance won 77 seats in total. Jamaat itself claimed 69 seats, while the National Citizens Party (NCP) won six seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis (Rickshaw symbol) two seats, and Khelafat Majlis (Clock symbol) one seat. Jamaat fielded candidates in 224 constituencies, with remaining seats reserved for alliance partners.

Independent candidates won six seats. Islami Andolon Bangladesh (Char Monai faction) won one seat after contesting 268 constituencies, the second-highest after the BNP. One constituency’s result is still pending.

The ruling Bangladesh Awami League did not participate due to restrictions on its activities, marking a significant shift in the political landscape.

Of the 51 parties that contested, 42 failed to win any seats. Analysts attributed the poor performance of smaller and newer parties to coalition politics, voter concentration on major parties, and strategic voting.

Only nine parties, along with a few independents, will have representation in the new parliament, leaving 42 parties empty-handed.

EAR/MHK