Tarique Rahman's historic victory: Bangladesh's future is redefined by the BNP's overwhelming win in the parliamentary election

Following 17 years in exile in London, Tarique Rahman has become the key new leader of Bangladesh, leading his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a resounding 209 seats out of 297 in the 13th parliamentary elections—a remarkable comeback to power after 20 years. With 59.44% of the vote, this resounding victory eliminated Sheikh Hasina's Awami League (which was prohibited from running) and propelled right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami to 68 seats, marking a dramatic break from Hasina's 15-year authoritarian rule that was overthrown by student protests in August 2024. The BNP's comeback was fueled by Tarique Rahman's tactful campaign of reconciliation, which established him as the most likely candidate to become prime minister in a country that is in dire need of stability.

Rahman, who was briefly arrested prior to Bangladesh's independence, was born in Dhaka in 1965 and was present during the country's 1971 liberation war. After leaving Dhaka University to pursue studies in international relations, he established textile and agricultural companies before becoming a prominent member of the BNP, which was established by his father Ziaur Rahman and run for many years by his mother Khaleda Zia. Rahman was thrown into the chairmanship during the BNP's political low point when Khaleda passed away in December 2025, a few days after his triumphant return. Despite his personal sorrow, he quickly reorganized the party while negotiating a hostile environment set up by Hasina's government, where he was found guilty for political reasons, including a life sentence for a 2004 grenade attack that he disputes. Yunus's path was cleared by acquittals during his interim administration.

The return of Tarique Rahman revealed a more experienced leader who had moved past the charges of being a "brash operator" from the BNP's 2001–2006 rule. In line with Martin Luther King, he said, "I have a plan for my people and country," promising economic reorientation through diversification from clothing to toys and leather, family aid cards for the impoverished, and a 10-year PM term limit to prevent autocracy. He attracted sizable crowds in spite of dynastic criticisms by urging restraint and unity while avoiding provocative attacks on the Awami League. Though the BNP's internal discipline—tainted by 10,000 expulsions for extortion—remains a challenge, analysts point out that his time in London sharpened a democratic outlook, impressing even minority leaders with sophisticated vision.

Sheikh Hasina, president of the Bangladesh Awami League, called the 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12 a "meticulously staged sham" that marred the country's democratic heritage and described it as a vast plot of vote falsification and bureaucratic rigging rather than a representation of popular will. She charged that the "illegal Yunus regime" was behind a lopsided farce that deprived the populace of their right to vote. In order to properly honor the mandate of the 180 million people, Hasina calls for the immediate nullification of this "voterless, illicit, and anti-constitutional" poll, the removal of "killer fascist" Muhammad Yunus, the dismissal of false accusations against political detainees, including teachers, journalists, thinkers, and experts, with their unconditional release, the resumption of Awami League operations, and new, impartial elections conducted under a neutral caretaker setup.

While PM Narendra Modi personally called Rahman to reiterate India's commitment to shared peace and prosperity, China quickly congratulated the BNP and pledged deeper ties along the Belt and Road. Modi extended support for Bangladesh's advancement in his X post, hailing the "decisive victory" and historical ties. In light of Jamaat's ties to Pakistan, Rahman's impartial foreign policy seeks to entice investments without unduly depending on any one institution; however, his tone of reconciliation offers hope.

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Muhammad Yunus's 84-point July National Charter was the subject of a parallel referendum that was overwhelmingly approved (60.26 percent of voters said "yes") and called for reforms such as women's quotas, a bicameral parliament, caretaker governments, and judicial independence. The new assembly was then given 180 days to act as a reform council. Notably, in a poll without prominent female figures like Hasina or Zia, seven women—six of whom were BNP members—won seats, including Afroza Khan Rita and independents.

Rahman faces a broken economy, minority safety concerns following the unrest in 2024, and party infighting, but the BNP's absolute majority in the 350-seat parliament (300 elected, 50 reserved) caps a reversal from persecution during the Sheikh Hasina era. His overwhelming majority calls for drastic changes in a country of 170 million people, fusing traditional family values with newfound realism.