Bangladesh elections 2026: Tarique Rahman Emerges As New Power Center In Dhaka

Bangladesh has entered a new political chapter with Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) securing a majority in the 2026 general elections, paving the way for the party to form the next government after the fall of the Awami League in 2024. Early counts showed the BNP leading in well over the halfway mark of 151 constituencies, with Jamaat-e-Islami emerging as the main opposition bloc, signalling a sharp realignment in the country’s political landscape.​

Rahman, who formally took over as BNP chairperson on January 9 following the death of his mother and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, has declared that the party has received a clear mandate in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary polls. The election, held alongside a nationwide referendum on the sweeping July National Charter reforms, has drawn swift international attention, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating Rahman and vowing to work with the new leadership to strengthen bilateral ties and support a “democratic, progressive and inclusive” Bangladesh.