JAKARTA - The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won an absolute majority in the parliamentary election. This victory paved the way for the restoration of political stability after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown in a student uprising in 2024.
The election, held on Thursday, was contested for 299 of a total of 300 seats in the unicameral parliament and was the first vote since a wave of protests brought down Hasina's government.
Hasina fled to India in August 2024, which was followed by the formation of an interim government with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the chief adviser.
According to media reports, the party led by Tarique Rahman - who returned to Bangladesh in December 2025 after 17 years of voluntary exile in the UK - won more than two-thirds of the parliamentary seats. BNP outperformed its main rival, Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as a number of other small parties.
BNP previously stood in the opposition ranks during Hasina's government, which was marked by deadly riots led by students related to a controversial job quota policy.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through a post on the X platform, congratulated Rahman and emphasized that "India will continue to support a democratic, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh."
A vote for one parliamentary seat will be held later after a candidate died.
In addition to the legislative election, a referendum on institutional reform was also held simultaneously.
Provisional results show a majority of voters support change, including a transition to a bicameral parliament and term limits for prime ministers.
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