Bangladesh election 2026 result highlights: Stage set for Tarique Rahman as new PM after BNP's landslide victory

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: This blog is now closed and will not be updated

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday warmly congratulated Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman and the party on their emphatic victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, describing the outcome as a clear triumph of democracy after a period of extraordinary challenges faced by the Bangladeshi people.

In a post on his verified X account on Friday, Anwar described the result as a significant achievement for democratic principles.

"I warmly congratulate Mr Tarique Rahman and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on their emphatic election victory. This is a triumph of democracy: the Bangladeshi people, having navigated a period of extraordinary challenges, have spoken clearly at the ballot box."

In the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election in Bangladesh, seven independent candidates have been elected in seven constituencies across the country. All of them were formerly leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). After failing to secure party nominations, they contested as independents and were known locally as ‘rebel’ BNP candidates.

Former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar on Friday said the outcome of Bangladesh's recent 13th National Parliamentary Elections, which saw victory for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), sends a strong message about the electorate's priorities, particularly the role of women voters.

Speaking to ANI, Akbar said, "The biggest message of this election is that the Bangladeshi women have demolished the Jamaat-e-Islami. They have done so because Jamaat represented an anti-women platform," while reacting to the results in Delhi.

He alleged that the Jamaat's campaign relied heavily on religious messaging. "The Jamaat actually promised salvation in the next life. It promised freedom from sins. Well, these are very, very good things, but people don't vote in elections for salvation in the next life; they want a better life in this one," he told ANI.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: The head of Jamaat-e-Islami Shafiqur Rahman on Friday said he will demand action by the Election Commission as he alleged problems with the vote counting in polls a day earlier. "There were massive irregularities in vote counting," Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman told reporters on Friday evening. "We will seek redress from the Election Commission."

via AFP

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: Forty one political parties that participated in Bangladesh's national elections on Feb 12 failed to secure even a single seat, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Fifty political parties had fielded their candidates in the landmark polls that concluded with Tarique Rahman-led BNP's thumping victory. The two prominent parties in the elections were BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami which managed to bag around 76 seats.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: National Citizen Party's chief Hasnat Abdullah has won from the Cumilla-4 constituency. Abdullah's inflammatory speeches and claims in the past had strained Bangladesh's ties with India last year after he said Bangladesh could shelter separatist forces from India and severe the country’s seven northeastern states.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: Following the big win in national elections, the BNP is in talks with the allies for government formation, the Dhaka Tribune quoted party leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury as sayin. He said discussions were held on implementing the party’s 31-point program and forming a national government in coordination with allies.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday congratulated BNP's Tarique Rahman for winning the Bangladesh elections. “For this great victory, my congratulations to my Tarique-Bhai, his party, and all the parties. Pray, you all be well and happy. Wish that our relations with Bangladesh be always cordial,” she wrote on X.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: Independent candidate Rumeen Farhana, who won from the Brahmanbaria-2 seat has said that leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) contacted her even before the official election results, Daily Star reported. “They contacted me when they realised I was certainly going to win the election as an independent candidate. They suggested it would be good to sit together and even hinted that I could get something bigger than an MP post. I declined,” she was quoted as saying. Farhana is one of the seven women candidates who secured have secured seats in the Bangladesh parliament.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live update: The 13th national elections in Bangladesh held on February 12 have been about the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its chairman Tarique Rahman who won two seats -- Dhaka-17 and Bogra-6. His party BNP emerged victorious with 209 seats and is set to form government in Bangladesh that is currently being administered by an interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. Read full story here

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's district and Awami League's stronghold Gopalganj has rejected the proposal for constitutional reforms under the July National Charter for which voting was held alongside the national elections on February 12. However, most votes polled in the national referendum backed the reforms as 4,80,74,429 people voted “yes” and 2,25,65,627 voters went for “no”, Akhtar Ahmed, senior secretary of Bangladesh’s election commission said.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Bangladeshi writer and activist Taslima Nasreen has welcomed the defeat of Jamaat-e-Islami in the national elections. “In this election, I am not happy because the BNP won, but because the Islamists-jihadi-terrorist group was defeated. Over the past year and a half, they displayed outrageous dominance, held rallies with hundreds of thousands of supporters, carried out mob violence day and night whenever they wished, killed and tortured whomever they wanted, set fire to Hindu homes, beat and burned Hindus to death, and did not allow even a single woman to run as a candidate for votes,” she wrote on X.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Leaders of South Asian countries, including neighbouring India, congratulated Rahman on the resounding victory in the national elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Rahman over phone and conveyed his wishes as he is set to take reins of Bangladesh. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also congratulated Rahman and said the poll result was a triumph of democracy. Other regional leaders who congratulated Rahman include Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari, Sri Lanka's Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Nepal's Sushila Karki and Maldives' Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: After the student-led uprising toppled the Sheikh Hasina government in July 2024, a party of youngsters, called the National Citizen Party (NCP) emerged. However, the sentiment of the youth did not quite translate into votes in the 13th national elections. The NCP won just six seats in the elections that saw the resurgence of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: With the sweeping victory, the BNP marks its return to government after 20 years. The last time it was in power was under Khaleda Zia, Tarique's mother who died recently. The BNP thus returns to office with Zia's son, Tarique Rahman, likely to be the next prime minister of Bangladesh. Click here to see how the Bangladesh media covered the landmark election.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Seven women candidates, six from the BNP, have been elected to Bangladesh parliament in the 13th national election. While the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is set to form the government with an absolute majority, has seen six of its female nominees win their respective seats. The BNP women candidates are Afroza Khan Rita from Manikganj-3, Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto from Jhalokati-2, Tahsina Rushdir Luna from Sylhet-2, Shama Obaid from Faridpur-2, Nayab Yusuf Kamal from Faridpur-3, and Farzana Sharmin Putul from Natore-1, according to PTI.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: The couting has been completed for 297 of 300 parliamentary constituencies for which the polls were held on February 12 with BNP winning 213 and Jamaat-led coalition bagging 76 seats, as per reports published in Bangladesh dailies. Results have been withheld for two constituencies-- Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 , due to legal issues, EC has said.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman won from the Dhaka-15 seat, Dhaka Tribune reported, citing EC data.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed on Friday said said the party will formally urge India to extradite ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh to stand trial, the Daily Star reported. “We will press for her [Hasina] extradition in accordance with the law. It is a matter between the foreign ministry of Bangladesh and the foreign ministry of India. We will urge the government of India to send her back to face trial,” he was quoted as saying.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Seven women candidates, majority of them from the BNP, have been elected to Bangladesh parliament in the 13th national election, a media report said Friday. The BNP, which is set to form the government with an absolute majority, has seen six of its female nominees win their respective seats, The Dhaka Tribune said quoting unofficial results.

The BNP women candidates are Afroza Khan Rita from Manikganj-3, Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto from Jhalokati-2, Tahsina Rushdir Luna from Sylhet-2, Shama Obaid from Faridpur-2, Nayab Yusuf Kamal from Faridpur-3, and Farzana Sharmin Putul from Natore-1, it said.

In addition, Barrister Rumin Farhana, who had previously been expelled from the BNP, has been elected as an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-2.

via PTI

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Bangladesh is set for constitutional reforms as the ‘Yes’ received maximum number of votes in the National Referendum which decides whether the July National Charter should be adopted. The 'July Charter' lays out reforms for good governance, democracy, and social justice through institutional reforms, and to prevent “recurrence of authoritarian and fascist rule”.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a senior BNP leader from the minority Hindu community, won a Dhaka constituency on Friday in Bangladesh's 13th national parliamentary election. Roy won the Dhaka-3 seat with 99,163 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md Shahinur Islam, the state-run BSS news agency reported. The former state minister's win from the Dhaka seat comes in the backdrop of alleged harassment of the minority Hindu community members in the country.

via PTI

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: With BNP's massive win, Tarique Rahman is set to be Bangladesh's first male prime minister in over 35 years. In 1991, Khaleda Zia, Tarique's mother, took reins of Bangladesh. She held the post till 1996 and was succeeded by Awami League's Sheikh Hasina who held the post, first from 1996 to 2001, then again from 2009 to 2024 when she was ousted in student-led uprising.

Bangladesh election results 2026 live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to BNP's Tarique Rahman and congratulated him for the landslide win in the national elections. “Delighted to speak with Mr. Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections. I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples,” Modi wrote on X.