Bangladesh resumes its democratic journey today after a long 15 years of autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina as Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman was sworn-in as Prime Minister with its party’s landslide victory in 13th national polls. Tarique Rahman charismatically led his party to win in 211 seats in the parliamentary elections widely endorsed by the world, including the European Union (EU) election observers as they called the polls fair and credible saying no instance of fraudulence or vote rigging was found.

The nation participated in a free, fair election on 12 February, 2026, for what Bangladesh was waiting for almost 20 years. The people of Bangladesh had been dreaming of such competitive festive elections for long. Their dream finally came true in the second week of this month and they got a true elected prime minister indeed. Tarique Rahman has been the first elected premier by populist votes since 2008.

The Bangladesh people really lost confidence in the electoral process as they saw three rigged elections orchestrated by the fallen Awami League the party was deposed from the power in a student-mass uprising that saw almost 1,400 people to be killed and 20,000 to be injured. But, the nation this time rebounded in democratic norm that was lost by the voter less elections in 2014, night time elections in 2018 and dummy elections in 2024.

Tarique Rahman, son of Independence Proclaimer and slain President Ziaur Rahman and three times Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, appears to be a true statesman through democratic elections. But the way of his being statesmanship was not a bed of roses. He struggled inhuman and went through a lot of sufferings even staying in exile. He struggled for democracy, he fought with a fascist government for returning the rights to freedom of expression to the people, freedom of press, the rights to vote etc, resulting in 2024 July Uprising and thereafter a free, fair election in 2026.

Tarique Rahman has long been a central figure in Bangladesh’s political discourse. His elevation to the premiership is seen by many within BNP as the continuation of a political legacy blended with promises of reform and modernization.

Tarique Rahman started his debut in the politics in 1988 by getting primary membership in Gabtali Upazila, the historic birthplace of his father Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, under Bogura district located in northern Bangladesh. He became a member of the Bogra district BNP in 1993. He got opportunity to draw public opinion in favor of his party in 1991 parliamentary elections. In the capacity of National Campaign Strategy Committee member of the party, Tarique Rahman coordinated the election campaign of five constituencies his mother Khaleda Zia was contesting. Her thumping victory in all five constituencies proved his worth as a meticulous organizer to assume a future leadership role in the party.

Tarique Rahman learned politics for the welfare of the people and the country during his early age as he was closely observing his mother’s generosity to the people and struggle for democracy against another autocrat Ershad rule. He inherited a good political norms and values from his parents and he also took over another responsibility of electioneering in 2001. Tarique Rahman proved again his leadership wisdom within the party as his strategy was a great hit in creating a nationwide wave in favor of the ‘paddy sheath’ symbol. His party won the elections with a two-thirds majority. Following the victory, the BNP Standing Committee, the highest decision-making body, unanimously appointed him as the Senior Joint Secretary-General in 2002.

Thus, when he was emerging in politics, conspiracies were there to exterminate him forever. Then, the infamous army-backed illegitimate 1/11 caretaker government came. He was subjected to intrigues by Awami League and their associates at home and abroad. His estrangement from politics was sought by the 1/11 government through a series of utterly cruel, mischievous, and conspiracy acts. He was put to physical and mental torture by law enforcement and secret service agencies to demoralize him not to continue in politics. At one stage, he was imprisoned and tortured brutally in confinement for months together, disregarding the law of the land.

At one stage, he left the country with grave spinal injury for London to get medical treatment, choosing the path of staying in exile by force. But his indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to his people couldn’t stop him, rather stand still with head high, struggled for the emancipation of the people of the country, leading the nation online form the UK. Tarique Rahman was in constant touch with his fellow party workers to keep their spirits high and to continue to fight against the misrule of the Sheikh Hasina government as marked with anarchy, injustice, maladministration, corruption, curtailment of people’s right to vote, abrogation of fundamental rights, and the like. The fascist regime of Hasina filed seventeen fabricated cases in absentia against Tarique Rahman as a ploy to bar him from politics. He was the victim of political vengeance of the ousted fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina. Even his parents’ cantonment home was raged to the ground by Hasina in a bid to harass the Zia family. Despite political vengeance and vilifications against him, Tarique Rahman’s popularity saw an astonishing rise. He stands tall as the leader of the masses. He is the true inheritor of the legacy of his father. A natural politician, Tarique Rahman kept his party united, and its grassroots base continues to expand and solidify with mass support.

Despite living abroad, Tarique Rahman was nominated acting chairman of his party as not being the son of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia but with the quality of political wisdom and leadership eminence after her mother landed in jail in 2018 during Awami League misrule that is marked a another wrath of the deposed Sheikh Hasina on the Zia family.

While in exile, Tarique Rahman didn’t stop even for one day in struggle for realizing people’s rights. His fight for years and call to rise eventually awaken the nation as the people revolted against fascist Awami League rule, toppled Sheikh Hasina from the state power and forced her to flee the country, ending her almost 16 years autocratic rule on August 5, 2024, a new day for Bangladesh history.

Bangladesh became free again after 1971 Liberation War and the obstacles imposed on Tarique Rahman’s arrival to his beloved country were removed. Then the historic day 25 December, 2025 came when the valiant son of the nation Tarique Rahman touched down Bangladesh soil, strolled barefoot, took a fistful of soil and felt Bangladesh with the inner part of his heart. Then, his vibrant voice waived in a mammoth crowd saying, “I have a plan for the people and for the country”.

But, when the whole nation was like triumphant getting him after almost 17 years, Bangladesh got another bad news as his mother passed away just five days after his arrival. Then, on 9 January, 2026, he became his party’s chairman as many analysts see his rise inevitable.

Tarique Rahman’s rise in politics didn’t come inherently rather it was obvious for him to be at the helm of the state with leadership quality he acquired by political farsightedness, insights, dedication and wisdom. He gained steady ground through the combination of hard work, skill, and patience in the hearts of millions. He affirms the promises to take the nation out of the morass of misrule, non-governance, oppression, coercion, subjugation and present the people with the rights they could not enjoy under a fascist regime in hold of state power for more than one and a half decades. His promises win people’s hearts resulting in bringing landslide victory for BNP in national polls. Today, Bangladesh reemerged as a democratic country and restarted its democratic course as Tarique Rahman sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman, elder son of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and late Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, today formed the government with a 49-member cabinet as he took oath as the prime minister for his first time. The cabinet members include 25 ministers and 24 state ministers. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office and oath of secrecy to Tarique Rahman and his new ministers at the open space of the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex at 4:00 pm. After the swearing-in, Tarique Rahman signed the oath of office and oath of secrecy.

The 25 ministers are: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khoshru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, Abu Jafar Md Zahid Hossain, Dr Khalilur Rahman (Technocrat), Abdul Awal Mintoo, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Zahir Uddin Swapon, Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid (Technocrat), Afroza Khanam Rita, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Asadul Habib Dulu, Md Asaduzzaman, Zakaria Taher, Dipen Dewan, ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Sarder Md Sakhawat Hossain, Fakir Mahbub Anam, and Sheikh Rabiul Alam.

The 24 state ministers are-M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Md Shariful Alam, Shama Obaed Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Farhad Hossain Azad, Md Aminul Haq (technocrat), Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Habibur Rashid, Md Rajib Ahsan, Md Abdul Bari, Mir Shahe Alam, Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, widely known as Zonayed Saki, Ishraque Hossain, Farzana Sharmin, Shaikh Faridul Islam, Nurul Haque Nur, Yasser Khan Chowdhury, M Iqbal Hossain, MA Muhith, Ahammad Sohel Manjur, Bobby Hajjaj and Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam.

Breaking with a long-standing tradition in the Bangladesh history, the swearing-in ceremony of the new government was held at the South Plaza of the Parliament Complex instead of Bangabhaban, the Presidential palace.

Diplomatic sources said the leaders of different countries including President of the Maldives Dr Mohamed Muizzu, Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Indian Lok Sabha (parliament) Speaker Om Birla, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, among others, attended the ceremony.

Besides, guests present at the jam-packed glittering South Plaza of Bangladesh Parliament Complex included: Chief Justice, outgoing Chief adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and his council of advisers of the interim government, Chief Election Commissioner, Judges of the Supreme Court, MPs, political leaders, chiefs of the three services, members of diplomatic corps, senior journalists, and high civil and military officials.

Tarique Rahman’s spouse Dr. Zubaida Rahman and their daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman and other family members were present at the function.

Clad in black-suit with stripe and white shirt Tarique Rahman was looking very confident and lively at the South Plaza gathering. The historic venue was overflowing with about 1200 invited guests, while many of them were seen standing there also.

New Prime Minister as the Head of the Government was given a standing ovation when he entered the place of oath-taking ceremony.

Minutes later President Shahabuddin entered the venue where the Prime Minister took oath at 4.00 pm.
The ceremony began with the recitation from the holy Quran.

Tarique Rahman took oath first pledging to preserve, protect and defend the national constitution and the state sovereignty.

Cabinet Secretary Dr Nasimul Gani conducted the oath-taking ceremony.

On February 12, the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls coincided with the referendum was held in 299 seats. The BNP attained a resounding victory bagging 209 seats with the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ symbol.

Their one-time ally Jamaat-e-Islami will now play their role as the main opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad with 68 seats.

Other parties and independent candidates have won the remaining seats.

Earlier, people had assembled in processions from different parts of the capital, chanting slogans hailing Tarique Rahman, the leader of the young.

A group of left-leaning students of Dhaka University staged a celebratory procession, dancing to the song titled Razakar Al-Badar Kichui Rabe Nare, on the Dhaka University campus on Friday. The procession began at the Teachers-Students Centre, led by a truck equipped with a music box, a day after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a decisive victory defeating Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections. It paraded through Jagannath Hall, VC Chatwar, Hall Para, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union and Madhu’s Canteen before concluding at the TSC.

Event organiser cultural activist Faria Motin Ilalala told New Age that although a significant number of people in the country voted for Jamaat, the majority of the country’s people still upheld the spirit of the War of Independence.

‘When we took these anti-razakar songs to the streets, we have witnessed public enthusiasm, which claim that people no longer care about the Liberation War are baseless,’ Faria noted.

Our existence is rooted in the Liberation War, she added, mentioning, ‘This programme does not support the BNP; rather, it has been organised to inform the next generation about the history of the Liberation War.’

She also said that their message to the BNP was that whatever role the party played in the coming days, they would remain prepared to criticise and protest any actions reminiscent of past governments.

Another organiser Anamul Hasan Onoy, a student of the political science department, said that anti-Bangladesh Jamaat forces had been attempting to revive their old anti-Liberation War politics over the past one and a half years ahead of the election.

‘We saw how recognised war criminals’ photos were displayed at the TSC and how they were being idealised. We witnessed their aggressiveness and rhetoric,’ he said.

He added that through the election, the country’s people had resisted anti-1971 forces. ‘Although Jamaat is now effectively in the opposition, it is an alarming matter for Bangladesh.’

As part of strengthening our stance against the anti-1971 agenda and preparing to consign them to their final political grave, we have staged this programme, he mentioned.Bangladesh cultural tours

Tanvir Hasan: After securing a sweeping majority in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is preparing to form the new government. The government has already published the official gazette listing the elected members of parliament. According to Article 148 of the Constitution, elected representatives must take oath within three days of the publication of the official results. The elected members of the 13th National Parliamentary Election will take their oaths on Tuesday, and the cabinet will also take their oaths later that day. Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed the schedule at a press briefing on Saturday.

Party sources say Tarique Rahman is set to assume office as Prime Minister after the government is formed. Alongside experienced politicians, the party plans to assign key responsibilities to younger and highly educated leaders. A blend of senior and new leadership is expected in important ministries such as Home Affairs, Law, Finance, and Foreign Affairs.

Several BNP policymakers have indicated that the cabinet will not be overly large. It is expected to consist of between 32 and 42 members. BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has already begun consultations with senior leaders regarding the formation of the cabinet. However, the allocation of specific ministries will be known only after the oath ceremony.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the nation will need to wait a little longer to see the final shape of the cabinet.

For the post of Foreign Minister, BNP Joint Secretary General Humayun Kabir is being discussed, given his active role in strengthening the party’s international relations. Dr Reza Kibria is being considered for the position of Finance Minister. He previously served as a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund.

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury is being considered for the Commerce Ministry, a position he held in the past. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is being discussed for the Local Government Ministry. He previously served as State Minister for Agriculture and later for Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Former Attorney General and senior Supreme Court lawyer Md Asaduzzaman is being mentioned for the Law Ministry. Salahuddin Ahmed is also in discussion for the Home Ministry, while Mirza Abbas is being considered for the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry.

Dr AZM Zahid Hossain is likely to take charge of the Health Ministry, and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi is being discussed for the Information Ministry. Other names reportedly under consideration include Nazrul Islam Khan, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selima Rahman, Andaleeve Rahman Partho, Mizanur Rahman Minu and Shama Obayed, among others.

There is also speculation that the presidency may see a change after the new government is formed. Senior Standing Committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain is being discussed for the post. However, if Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is nominated for president, a major reshuffle in the cabinet could follow.

Other figures being discussed include Ashrafuddin Nizam, Zonayed Saki, Ishraq Hossain, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Andaleeve Rahman Partho, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, Anindya Islam Amit, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Osman Faruque, Bobby Hajjaj, Hummam Quader Chowdhury, Nayab Yusuf, Zahir Uddin Swapan, Barrister Farzana Sharmeen Putul, Nurul Haq Nur, Naoshad Zamir, Mir Helal, Asadul Habib Dulu, Ali Asghar Lobby, Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, and Md Shariful Alam.

Ultimately, the final composition of the cabinet will depend on the decision of the party’s Standing Committee and Chairperson Tarique Rahman. As Prime Minister, he may revise the final list at any time, according to party insiders. The newly elected MPs will be sworn in Tuesday morning by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, while President Md Sahabuddin will administer the oath to the cabinet members in the afternoon.

Under the Constitution, the President will appoint as Prime Minister the parliamentary leader of the party that secures a majority in the National Parliament. As per convention, after the elected members are sworn in at the Parliament Secretariat, both the ruling party and the opposition will hold separate meetings to elect their parliamentary leaders.

The elected parliamentary leader of the majority party or alliance will then pay a courtesy call on the President at Bangabhaban. During that meeting, the President will formally invite the leader to form the government.

Following this invitation, the Prime Minister-designate will submit the names of ministers, state ministers, and deputy ministers to the President. The President will immediately forward the list to the Cabinet Division, which will complete preparations for the oath ceremony at the earliest possible time.

The Cabinet Secretary will personally call each designated cabinet member, inviting them to attend the oath ceremony at Bangabhaban. Official vehicles will also be sent to their residences. Sources said the Cabinet Division has already collected the names and personal phone numbers of the newly elected MPs. New folders and flags have been procured for the oath ceremony, and official vehicles have been made ready for the incoming cabinet members.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today said that the people of the country are now free from today. He said that pro-democracy people of the country have once again made the BNP victorious; and described this victory as a win for Bangladesh and for democracy, pledging to build a safe, humane, and democratic Bangladesh in the days ahead.

“Alhamdulillah, this victory belongs to Bangladesh. This victory belongs to democracy. This victory belongs to the people who yearn for democracy. From today, we are all free.”

Tarique Rahman made the remarks at a post-election press conference held in the Ballroom of the InterContinental Hotel in the city today. BNP Chairman said the people have paved the way for establishing democracy in the country by overcoming all obstacles. However, he noted that their journey must begin amidst a fragile economy left behind by fascism, dysfunctional constitutional and statutory institutions, and a weak law and order situation.

“After more than one and a half decades, a parliament and government accountable to the people are set to be established through direct voting. Everyone to remain united so that no anti-democratic force can re-establish fascism in the country or turn Bangladesh into a subservient state,” he said.

Tarique Rahman extended heartfelt congratulations to the 51 political parties that participated in the election, including Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, and Ganadhikar Parishad.

“In a democratic state and politics, political parties are essentially the lighthouses of democracy. If the government and the opposition each play a responsible role from their respective positions, democracy will undoubtedly become institutionalized,” he said.

Calling upon every democratic political party that participated in the election to share their ideas for nation-building, he stated, “Our paths and opinions may be different, but we are all united for the sake of the country. I believe national unity is our strength, and division is our weakness.”

He specially thanked the interim government and the Election Commission for successfully holding a peaceful, free, fair, and impartial election, dispelling all public doubts. Tarique Rahman also praised the role of all election-related officials, the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and domestic and international media and observers.

Tarique Rahman expressed deep respect for those who were martyred or injured in the movement to establish democracy over this long period from the Liberation War of 1971 to the war to protect the freedom of the country and its people in 2024. He prayed for salvation of their departed souls. He also mentioned that the absence of the uncompromising leader and former Prime Miniter Begum Khaleda Zia weighs heavily on the party during this joyous moment.

He said, “In anticipation of such a democratic time for establishing people’s rights in the state and politics, she fought uncompromisingly against fascism. She never compromised with autocracy or fascism.”

Referring to BNP’s 31 point ‘roadmap for state repair’, he said, through consultations with other parties and the public, BNP has formulated its election manifesto. Highlighting BNP’s signature to the July Charter, Tarique Rahman assured that every commitment made to the people will be implemented in phases. BNP chairman said his party didn’t bring out any victory processions even after an absolute victory to maintain peace and order, but celebrating the triumph by offering gratitude to Allah.

He asserted, “My statement is clear: peace and order must be maintained at any cost. No injustice or illegal activities will be tolerated.”

He further said, “Regardless of party, opinion, religion, or caste, attacks by the powerful on the weak will not be accepted under any pretext. Justice will be the ideal. If the rule of law is not established, all our efforts will go in vain.”

He urged everyone to be cautious so that any misunderstandings arising from electoral competition do not turn into revenge or retaliation. While appealing to the pro-democracy people, the BNP Chairman said, “Just as we played role in the struggle to establish democracy, let us now each to play our part from our respective positions to build Bangladesh as a safe and humane state by controlling corruption, maintaining law and order, and ensuring accountability to the people.”

Concluding his speech, the BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman once again congratulated and thanked all democratic forces, expatriate Bangladeshis, and the freedom-loving people across the country for the victory.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Dr Khandakar Mosarrof Hossain, Nazrul Islam Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Selima Rahman, Salahuddin Ahmed, Sultan Salauddin Mahmud Tuku,among others were present during the press conference.

Journalists from the local and foreign media joined the press conference. After concluding the written speech Tarique Rahman answered different questions from the journalists.

Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Saturday called for maintaining law and order “at any cost” and sought cooperation from all in building a safe and humane Bangladesh. “We need everyone’s cooperation to build a safe and humane Bangladesh. This time, everyone must play a responsible role in rebuilding the country. No injustice can be done to anyone on any excuse. Law and order must be maintained at any cost,” Tarique said.

He made the remarks at an official press briefing in the afternoon at Hotel InterContinental in the capital after securing an absolute majority in the election. Tarique said the freedom-loving people of the country had made BNP victorious, describing the outcome as “the victory of the people.”

“From today, everyone is free. Congratulations to all. With the participation of all, the journey of a fascism-free state has begun in the country,” the BNP chairman said. He noted that besides BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP and Islami Andolon Bangladesh also participated in the election, which he described as peaceful. “Everyone’s thoughts are important in building the country. We will build the country based on everyone’s opinions,” Tarique said.

The BNP chairman thanked the Election Commission and congratulated the administration and all election officials. “Without your cooperation, such a beautiful election would not have been possible,” he added. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other top party leaders were present at the press conference. Representatives of allied parties of the simultaneous movement and distinguished citizens were also in attendance.

Although it was a press briefing, a festive atmosphere prevailed as newly elected members of parliament from across the country and well-wishers gathered at the venue. Representatives of foreign media were also present.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) clinched a landslide victory with over two-thirds majority in the 13th general elections held on Thursday amid festivity allowing the BNP-led alliance to form the next government. The massive victory has paved the way for BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman to lead the government as the Prime Minister for the first time.

The Election Commission (EC) announced the unofficial results of 297 parliamentary seats out of the 299 where elections were held in a free and fair manner. It, however, postponed announcement of results in two seats – Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4. However, voting in Sherpur-3 constituency was postponed due to death of a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate. According to the unofficial results, the BNP bagged 209 seats alone while its alliance partners Gano Odhikar Parishad one, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) one and Gano Sanghati Andalon one.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats alone emerging as the main opposition party while its alliance partners National Citizen Party (NCP) won six seats, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis two and Khelafat Majlish one. Islami Andolon Bangladesh bagged one seat and independent candidates won in seven constituencies. Meanwhile, the United States of America (USA), China, India and Pakistan congratulated Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman for the party’s historic landslide victory in the 13th National Parliament Election.

According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout in the parliamentary polls was recorded 59.44 percent while it was 60.26 in the referendum. The referendum witnessed 4,80,74,429 ‘Yes’ votes and 2,25,65,627 ‘No’ votes. Foreign observers and independent polls monitoring groups said the election was held in a free, fair and peaceful manner, maintaining the world standard.

Earlier, voting began at 7:30 am across 42,779 polling centres in 299 constituencies nationwide. A total of 12,77,11,793 voters were registered to cast their ballots, including 6,48,25,361 males, 6,28,85,200 females, and 1,232 from the third gender. A total of 50 political parties contested the polls with 2,028 candidates including 273 independent, while BNP fielded the highest number of candidates of 291. Besides, a total of 83 female candidates contested the polls.

According to the EC, some 800,000 officials, apart from those involved in maintaining security and law and order, were on election duties. They included 69 returning officers, 598 assistant returning officers, 42,779 presiding officers, 247,482 assistant presiding officers and 4,95,964 polling officers. Besides, About 15,000 officials are engaged in postal voting duties.

EC officials earlier said that of the security personnel deployed, 103,000 were army troops, 8,500 navy sailors and airmen, alongside 37,453 paramilitary BGB soldiers and 3,585 paramilitary Coast Guard members. The number of policemen on poll duty was 187,603, while RAB personnel number was 9,349. The highest number of law enforcement personnel was drawn from Ansar, with personnel numbering 5,67,868.

Some 55,454 observers from 81 local organizations monitored the elections while the number of foreign poll monitors was 394. Nearly 200 foreign journalists arrived in Bangladesh to observe the elections and the referendum. Of the international observers, 80 represent various international organizations, while the rest come from different countries, including independent European observers.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday criticised Jamaat-e-Islami over its role during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, saying the party must clarify its position on the country’s independence.

“Jamaat leaders are currently making statements in television talk shows, online platforms and newspapers, but they should first explain their position during the country’s struggle for independence,” said Fakhrul while addressing a rally at Farabari High School ground in Thakurgaon.

“Where were you in 1971? Whose side were you on?” the BNP leader asked. He also alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami had assisted the Pakistani occupation forces during the Liberation War and attempted to obstruct Bangladesh’s independence.

There is no scope to forget about 1971 and just as the people would not forget 2024, when the country regained its democratic system, he added. The country achieved independence through the Liberation War and that history must never be erased, said the BNP leader. After 15 long years, the country now has a real opportunity to hold a fair, free and credible election, he said.

The interim government currently in charge and those who are elected through votes will form the government—that is their objective, he said. If people participate spontaneously and cast their votes, the election would become historic and widely acceptable, he hoped.

Referring to his political future, Fakhrul said this might be his last election, and pledged to establish an airport and a medical college in Thakurgaon, if elected, along with creating employment opportunities to reduce unemployment.

He also said the female voters of the district will be given training under the guidance of Tarique Rahman so that they can earn from home. “We must train our women and youth and create jobs by making them skilled and educated.”

Sheikh Hasina has launched a stinging political broadside against the interim government, accusing Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus of replacing constitutional rule with what she calls “authoritarianism dressed up as transition” by sidelining her party Awami League ahead of the Feb 12 general elections.

In a wide-ranging written interview with ThePrint, the former prime minister said the suspension of the Awami League from political activity has hollowed out the electoral process, leaving tens of millions of voters effectively “disenfranchised”.

“You cannot ban the country’s oldest and most popular political party and then claim democratic legitimacy. That is not reform; it is authoritarianism dressed up as transition,” Hasina told ThePrint.

Although Yunus has insisted the Awami League has not been banned but merely “suspended from political activities”, Hasina dismissed the distinction as hollow.

“That is a distinction without meaning,” she said, arguing that a party that “can not campaign, organise or contest elections” is, in effect, barred from political life.

Bangladesh is scheduled to vote on Feb 12, but Hasina said the exclusion of her party has already poisoned the process.

“Elections held under such conditions cannot be considered free, fair or legitimate,” she wrote to ThePrint.

“Voters must be free to elect the party of their choosing and not be excluded from participating or coerced by door-to-door activists into voting for the BNP or [Jamaat-e-Islami] under threats of violence or destruction,” ThePrint quoted her as adding. She accused the interim government of deliberately clearing the field because it feared defeat.

“The interim government knows that if we were allowed to contest these elections, we would command overwhelming support. That is why we have been banned,” Hasina said.

“Let us not forget that Yunus himself has never received a single vote from the people of Bangladesh, and yet he has rewritten our country’s legal framework to legitimise his unlawful actions,” she was quoted in the report. The Awami League governed Bangladesh from 2009 until Hasina’s removal in August 2024, shaping nearly a decade and a half of the country’s political life. Now, as the February vote approaches, Bangladesh is heading into an election without the party that led the 1971 independence struggle and dominated post-independence politics.

Violence engulfed Bangladesh in mid-2024, when student-led protests over public sector job quotas spiralled into a nationwide revolt against her government. According to the interim authorities, roughly 1,400 people were killed as unrest spread across the country. Hasina told ThePrint she “regrets” every life lost but rejected claims that her government had provoked the bloodshed.

“We welcomed the legitimate protests led by the students and allowed them to proceed peacefully. We listened to their demands, and we addressed these, overturning the public sector job quotas that were the source of their frustration,” she wrote. She claimed the turning point came when the demonstrations were overtaken by forces working to bring her down.

“What we could not have foreseen was the turning point when extremist elements hijacked the protests. This was no longer a spontaneous and peaceful student movement, but a violent mob organised and directed by Yunus that sought violence, attacked police stations and destroyed state infrastructure,” Hasina told ThePrint.

“Like any legitimate government, our actions were guided by the instinct to protect our country’s institutions and prevent any loss of life,” she added.

On Aug 5, 2024, as violence intensified in Dhaka, Hasina fled her official residence, Ganabhaban, ending her 15 years in power. She has remained in India since then, a fact that has become a sensitive fault line in India-Bangladesh relations.

ThePrint reported that one of Hasina’s sharpest accusations against Yunus centres on the judicial inquiry she had set up to investigate the deaths during the protests — and which was scrapped almost immediately after the interim government took power.

“My principal frustration is that Yunus dissolved that inquiry immediately upon taking power, no doubt because he knew that it would expose the meticulous plan he orchestrated,” she wrote to ThePrint.

“That decision alone raises serious questions as to the motivations behind the protests and his seizure of power, including the matter of foreign involvement. Those questions deserve impartial investigation.”

Since her removal, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced Hasina and her home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity, citing her government’s attempts to suppress the 2024 unrest. Under Yunus, the Awami League’s organisational backbone has also been dismantled. Its student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, was banned under anti-terrorism legislation — a law originally enacted under Hasina’s government in 2009 and amended in 2025 before being used against her party.

Hasina told ThePrint that Bangladesh is now sliding into chaos under an unelected administration that lacks the authority or will to control violence.

“Law and order cannot be maintained through fear or selective enforcement,” she wrote, calling for a swift return to “constitutional governance” and elections “held with the participation of all parties”.

Her warning comes after two days of unrest in December, triggered by the killing of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, a prospective candidate for parliament who was shot in Dhaka on Dec 12 and later died on Dec 18 while under treatment in Singapore. Protests spiralled into riots that saw the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star set ablaze.

“The violence we are witnessing is the direct result of an unelected administration that lacks any popular mandate and has allowed our politics to be usurped by extremist factions,” Hasina told ThePrint.

“Instead of delivering ‘reform’, the interim government has elevated radical groups to positions of power, established rule by mob justice, and suppressed legitimate political voices,” she was quoted as saying.

“In Bangladesh today, there is no semblance of law and order,” she added.

“The Yunus government has routinely failed to act decisively against violence. Indeed, it has actively emboldened extremists who seek to spread their hardline ideology through daily acts of brutality, repressing any trace of pluralism in our society and dismissing any diversity of thought by labelling any dissenting voice as a political enemy,” she said according to ThePrint.

The December unrest included the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu man in Mymensingh, sparking protests in India and renewed concern over the safety of Bangladesh’s minorities. Hindus account for about 8 percent of the population. India has repeatedly urged Dhaka to do more to protect minorities since Hasina’s fall.

Yunus has argued the violence is largely political or criminal rather than communal, saying only 71 of 645 incidents against minorities in 2025 had communal elements, according to ThePrint. Hasina, however, sees a deeper ideological shift.

“Bangladesh was founded on secularism, pluralism and democratic values. The rehabilitation of Jamaat-e-Islami and other extremist factions threatens the very fabric of our nation,” she wrote to ThePrint.

“When radical groups are allowed back into mainstream politics, they do not moderate the state. They seek to reshape it in their own image and remove any trace of pluralism,” she added. Jamaat has re-entered mainstream politics since Yunus lifted the ban on its activities, while its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir has won university elections across several campuses.

Hasina also accused the interim government of tolerating what she called a systematic attempt to rewrite Bangladesh’s past — including the vandalism and demolition of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic home at Dhanmondi 32.

“What we are seeing today is the deliberate erosion of historical truth,” she wrote to ThePrint. “Extremist and revisionist forces have tried hard to dilute the reality of our hard-won independence from Pakistan in 1971, blurring the distinction between victim and aggressor.”

“This truth may be inconvenient to the interim government, which wishes to paint the Awami League as enemies of the state, but it is a truth nonetheless,” she added.

“A nation that forgets the price of its freedom becomes vulnerable to those who once denied it. Preserving the truth of our Liberation War is not about politics. It is about safeguarding our identity and sovereignty.”

As Bangladesh moves towards its most uncertain election in decades, February now looms as a reckoning — not only over who governs, but over what kind of state the country is becoming.

Sheikh Hasina has delivered her first public address in India since her overthrow, calling Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus a “murderous fascist” and accusing his interim government of plunging the country into “terror and lawlessness”. The ousted prime minister spoke via an audio message to a packed hall at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi.

The event titled “Save Democracy in Bangladesh” was attended by former ministers from her Awami League government and members of the diaspora, as per NDTV. Hasina, who was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal over allegations that she ordered the killing of 1,400 people to suppress protests in Bangladesh, is described by her opponents as a “corrupt, fascist, autocrat”.

She is also accused of trying to perpetrate power by manipulating three general elections and overseeing extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and holding political opponents in secret jails. She accused Yunus of running an “illegal, violent” administration and repeatedly described him as a “usurper”, “money launderer”, and “power-hungry traitor”.

“Bangladesh stands today at the edge of an abyss,” Hasina said at the outset, invoking the Liberation War and the legacy of her father, independence hero Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She said the country had been reduced to “a vast prison, an execution ground, a valley of death”, with human rights trampled, press freedom extinguished, and violence against women and minorities rampant. The Awami League chief said her removal from office on Aug 5, 2024 was the result of a “meticulously engineered conspiracy” that had plunged the nation into what she described as an age of fear.

“From that day, democracy has gone into exile,” Hasina said, warning that life and property no longer enjoyed protection as law and order had collapsed nationwide. She painted a picture of a country gripped by “mob” violence, looting, and extortion, stretching from the capital to rural areas, and blamed extremist groups and foreign interests for what she described as the systematic destruction of the state.

The sharpest criticism was directed at Nobel laureate Yunus personally. The Grameen Bank founder assumed office on Aug 8, 2024 to lead the interim government, shortly after the July Uprising forced the fall of the Awami League administration. Hasina accused him of bleeding the country dry and pushing Bangladesh towards a wider regional conflict by allegedly handing over national resources and strategic interests to foreign powers.

“By betraying the nation, the murderous fascist Yunus is pushing our beloved motherland towards disaster,” she said. Calling the address both a warning and a rallying call, Hasina urged “all democratic, progressive and non-communal forces of the pro-Liberation camp” to unite in restoring the constitution, which she said had been written “in the blood of martyrs”.

She also portrayed the Awami League as the “only legitimate guardian” of Bangladesh’s democratic and pluralist traditions, describing it as the country’s oldest political party and one deeply embedded in its political and cultural foundations. Hasina outlined five demands she said were essential to restoring stability. The first was the removal of what she called the “illegal Yunus administration” to create conditions for free and fair elections. “Bangladesh will never see a credible election while this clique remains in power,” she said.

Her second demand focused on ending daily violence and restoring public order, arguing that economic recovery and basic civic services depended on stability. The third called for firm guarantees to protect religious minorities, women, and vulnerable groups from targeted attacks.

Fourth, she demanded an end to what she described as politically motivated legal action against journalists, Awami League leaders, and opposition figures, calling for the judiciary to be restored as an impartial institution.

Her final demand urged the United Nations to conduct “a fresh and impartial investigation” into events over the past year.

“The international community stands with you,” Hasina told supporters, adding that the interim authorities had failed to listen to the will of the people.

Earlier, in an interview with NDTV, Hasina said Bangladesh was sliding towards authoritarian rule and extremist influence.

Speaking from India, she recounted the events surrounding her ouster, the destruction of her family’s historic residence, and what she described as state-backed attacks on minorities and democratic institutions. She urged Bangladeshis not to lose hope, calling on them to join what she described as a struggle to reclaim democracy and restore constitutional rule.