Bangladesh voted on Thursday in a historic 13th Jatiya Sangsad election, ending a 17-year hiatus with a nationwide ballot marked by festivity, tension and good turnout across 299 constituencies.
Long queues formed from early morning. By sunset, counting was underway, igniting countrywide anticipation and renewed hopes for a "new Bangladesh." Observers described it as the most peaceful election in the nation's
history.
Unofficial results show the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) surging ahead with 182 seats. Among the winners are BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, Reza Kibria, Dr Khondakar Mosharraf Hossain, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Nazrul Islam Azad and Ishraque Hossain.
Jamaat-e-Islami secured 60 seats, the National Citizen Party (NCP) won six-including Convener Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain-and five others captured one seat each, including Rumeen Farhana.
BNP's declared victors include Asadul Habib Dulu (Lalmonirhat-3), Md Asaduzzaman (Jhenaidah-1), ABM Mosharraf Hossain (Patuakhali-4), Kamruzzaman Kamrul (Sunamganj-1), Md Nasir Chowdhury (Sunamganj-2), Md Mustafizur Rahman Bhuiyan (Narayanganj-1), Abdus Salam Madani (Sunamganj-5), Nurul Islam Nurul (Sunamganj-4) and Md Raihan Siraji (Rangpur-1).
For Jamaat, Golam Rabbani triumphed in Rangpur-5 and Mustafizur Rahman in Kurigram-4. NCP's Md Abul Hasnat (Hasnat Abdullah) clinched Cumilla-4.
BNP candidates are also leading in Thakurgaon-1; Natore-1 and 2; Faridpur-2 and 3; Bhola-4; Dhaka-7; Moulvibazar-3; Cumilla-5 and 6; as well as Rangamati and Bandarban-many by comfortable margins.
Jamaat is ahead in Bagerhat-2, Gazipur-4 and Kushtia-3. In Barguna-1, an Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate is in front.
Polling ran from 7:30am to 4:00pm amid heavy voter participation and tight battles in several key constituencies. Candidates and supporters now await final confirmation as counting continues.
Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters also cast ballots in a nationwide referendum on the "July National Charter."
The Referendum results have been shown by the Election Commission as 78 per cent ‘Yes’ and 22 per cent ‘No’.
However, the Election Commission has not confirmed the total turnout of voters.
According to EC, the turnout was 47.91 per cent till 2pm on Thursday.
Till the writing of this at 3:30am on Friday the counting is continuing.
The official preliminary results of the election is likely to be over before noon today.
