Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman led his party to a landslide victory in the February 12 parliamentary elections, marking a significant comeback for the BNP.
The Election Commission on Friday declared official results for 297 seats in the 13th National Parliament elections. According to the results, the BNP-led alliance won 212 seats. The Jamaat-e-Islami alliance won 77 seats, while Islami Andolan Bangladesh and independent candidates won one and seven seats each, respectively.
The EC said the results for Chittagong-2 and Chittagong-4 have been postponed due to pending court cases, and the gazette for Sherpur-2 will not be published yet despite the results being declared, Prothom Alo reported.
Individually, the BNP won 209 seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68. Other parties that made gains include the Jatiya Nagorik Party (6), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis (2), Khelafat Majlis (1), Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP (1), Gana Sanghati Andolan (1), and Gana Adhikar Parishad (1), Prothom Alo reported.
Who is Tarique Rahman?
Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of former President Ziaur Rahman and three-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, returned to Bangladesh in December 2025 after 17 years in exile. His return came amid political turmoil following the July 2024 violence that ended Sheikh Hasina’s long tenure. Following Khaleda Zia’s death in December 2025, Tarique officially became BNP Chairman, having previously managed party affairs as Acting Chairman.
A veteran political strategist, Tarique earned the nickname “Dark Prince” during the BNP-led coalition government of 2001-2006, when he wielded considerable influence from Hawa Bhaban, a building often referred to as the “shadow PMO.” His political trajectory included arrests, sentencing in absentia, and medical exile, many of which were later lifted following a student-led uprising in August 2024.
The February elections replaced the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, which had taken power after Hasina’s government collapsed. With the Awami League out of the contest, the contest became a direct contest between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, with the BNP dominating. Initial counts of 204 of the 299 seats showed the BNP leading in 158, the Jamaat-e-Islami in 41, and others in five. The party has indicated that Tarique Rahman will be its prime ministerial candidate if it forms the government.
Implications for India
India has closely watched Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections, the first since the violent July 2024 coup that toppled Sheikh Hasina and drove her into exile. Delhi sees a strong performance by radical Islamist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami or their role in a BNP-led coalition as a firm red line. Such a result could sour bilateral ties, draw Dhaka toward Pakistan and China, and erode India’s regional clout, while raising fears of Bangladesh becoming a hub for Pakistan-linked militants threatening India’s eastern border amid existing strains with Islamabad and Beijing.
These elections thus hold high stakes for India, determining if Dhaka stays a reliable ally against Chinese and Pakistani sway, thereby curbing risks of border tensions escalating into wider security challenges.
