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Last Updated:February 13, 2026, 06:46 ISTWith results of more than half of the 300 seats announced, the BNP is inching closer to victory in Bangladesh polls.BNP inches closer towards victory in Bangladesh’s parliamentary election. (Photo: AFP)The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is headed for a decisive victory in the country’s landmark 2026 general election, which was held nearly 18 months after Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule ended following student-led protests in July 2024.As the unofficial tallies continue to come in from Thursday’s voting, it is clear that the BNP, led by Tarique Rahman, has comfortably crossed the majority mark in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation, leaving the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance trailing.By around 6 am local time, multiple media tallies showed that the BNP won over 195 seats in the 300-seat parliament. While the Jamaat-e-Islami registered win on 62 seats.However, the Election Commission (EC) is yet to make a formal announcement. A poll body spokesperson informed that results in several seats were still being processed and were likely to be announced in a few hours.The election was seen as a direct contest between the BNP and its former ally, Jamaat-e-Islami. Meanwhile, ousted premier Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League remained out of the battle as it was banned from contesting.During this time, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government took over the administration for 18 months, following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India.The voting for the 13th parliamentary elections was held along with a referendum on the implementation of a complex 84-point reform package, known as the July National Charter.Tarique Rahman Set To Be New PM?Earlier, the BNP had announced that if the party wins the election, then its chairman and former premier Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman would become the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.“We are confident of forming the government by winning more than two-thirds of seats,” BNP’s central election steering committee spokesman Mahdi Amin told a media briefing in the early hours of Friday.Tarique Rahman is the son of BNP supremo and former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia. He returned to Bangladesh a few months back, after ending his 17 years of self-imposed exile in London.He took over leadership of the BNP from his mother, Khaleda Zia, a giant political figure in Bangladeshi politics. Zia died just five days after Rahman returned home in December.Handpicked stories, in your inboxA newsletter with the best of our journalismsubmitFirst Published:February 13, 2026, 06:19 ISTNews world BNP Heading For Victory In Bangladesh Polls; Tarique Rahman Set To Be New PM?Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Read More
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