BNP Wins Two Thirds Majority – Major Political Shift in the Country

Bangladesh’s politics has witnessed a major shift this time. The BNP has achieved a historic victory in the 13th parliamentary election, surpassing the two-thirds majority mark. The BNP-led alliance secured over 207 seats in the 299-seat parliament, while the Jamaat-led alliance secured 79 seats, and other parties secured nine. This election was significant in several ways. For the first time in the country, the national parliamentary elections and a referendum were held on the same day, February 12th. This election, held after 18 months, is being considered the beginning of a new chapter in Bangladeshi politics.

BNP Claims Public Mandate for Tarique Rahman

Nazrul Islam Khan, a member of the BNP’s Standing Committee, stated at a press conference that the people have entrusted the responsibility of the country to the BNP and party leader Tarique Rahman for the next five years. He explained that the party has won over two-thirds of the seats and several alliance candidates have also won. BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman himself contested two seats, Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 and won both. He is Khalida Zia’s son. He formally took over the party’s leadership shortly after his mother’s death. Under his leadership, the party has now achieved significant success. On the other hand, the Awami League was not allowed to contest the elections. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently out of the country, has called the elections a sham. A striking feature of this election was that only three Hindu candidates won, all three on BNP tickets. At a time when concerns are being raised about the safety of minorities, this result has become a topic of discussion.

1. Gayeswar Chandra Roy

Senior BNP leader Gayeswar Chandra Roy won the Dhaka-3 seat. He is a member of the party’s Standing Committee and has previously served as a state minister.

2. Nitai Roy Chowdhury

Nitai Roy Chowdhury won the Magura-2 parliamentary constituency by a margin of over 30,000 votes. He received 147,896 votes, while his opponent received 117,018.

3. Dipen Dewan

Advocate Dipen Dewan won the Rangamati seat. He received 31,222 votes. Overall, this election in Bangladesh has changed the direction of the country’s politics. With a two-thirds majority, the BNP will have the power to make policy decisions and amend the Constitution. All eyes are now on what steps the new government takes on issues such as the country’s economy, law and order, and the protection of minorities.