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Bangladesh polls: BNP's Tarique Rahman, Khalida Zia's heir, wins his seats in a landslide
As per the provisional figures, Tarique Rahman, contesting with the sheaf of paddy symbol, secured 216,284 votes against his rival's 97,626 votes in Bogura-6.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman, Tarique Rahman, has won the Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 constituencies with a landslide margin, provisional results in the country's local media show.
As per the provisional figures, Tarique Rahman, contesting with the sheaf of paddy symbol, secured 216,284 votes in Bogura-6, the Daily Star reported. His closest contender, Abidur Rahman Sohel of Jamaat-e-Islami, who contested with the scales symbol, received 97,626 votes.
The victory margin for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's heir stood at 118,658 votes over his nearest rival.
Officials quoted in the Daily Star report said the announcement was based on results from the counting centres, pending the final gazette notification.
Officials of the Bangladesh Election Commission, quoted in a PTI report, said BNP chairman Rahman has also won from the Dhaka-17 constituency.
The voting for the 13th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh was held alongside a referendum on the implementation of a complex 84-point reform package known as the July National Charter.
Vote counting began soon after voting concluded at 4:30pm (local time). However, in places where voters were in line inside the polling station, voting continued until they cast their ballots.
The election is seen as a direct contest between the BNP and its former ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's now disbanded Awami League.
BNP Election Steering Committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin said that his party's victory is "inevitable and clear".
Tarique Rahman has pledged to recalibrate Bangladesh’s international partnerships to attract investment without tying the country too closely to any single power, in contrast with ousted PM Sheikh Hasina, who was seen as aligned with New Delhi.
He has also highlighted expanding financial aid for poor families, reducing reliance on garment exports by promoting industries such as toys and leather goods, and introducing a two-term, 10-year limit for prime ministers to deter autocratic tendencies.
