The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) registered a sweeping victory in the 13th Parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh on Thursday (12th February). The electoral win is significant for BNP head Tarique Rehman, who returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile in the UK. Rehman, who is elected from both Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6, is set to become the next Prime Minister of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rehman on his party’s electoral win and expressed hope of working with the upcoming government to strengthen India-Bangladesh relations. “I convey my warm congratulations to Mr Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership. India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” PM Modi posted on X on Friday (13th February).
I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2026
This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership.
India will continue to stand in support of a democratic,…
The BNP reportedly won over 200 out of a total of 300 Parliamentary seats. It contested 292 seats and shared the rest of the seats with its allies. It defeated an 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami. The Awami League of Sheikh Hasina could not contest the elections as its registration was suspended.
BNP Chief Rehman has requested the postponement of the election victory celebrations out of respect for the demise of his mother. He has called for prayers for her after the Friday congregational prayer. Tarique Rehman, 60, is the eldest son of former Bangladeshi President Ziaur Rahman and three-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. He was elected as the BNP chief after the death of his mother in December 2025. Before that, he had been serving as the acting chairman of the party.
In 2007, Rehman was arrested by a military ‘caretaker’ government on various charges. He was convicted in absentia on multiple charges, including money laundering, and an alleged assassination plot against former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.
This was the first Parliamentary election in Bangladesh since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. A violent uprising, disguised as a student protest, overthrew the Awami League government in Bangladesh, forcing Hasina to flee the country to save her life. She took refuge in India.
