Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) show a victory sign in front of a banner with Tarique Rahman’s photo, as the results project BNP’s victory in the 13th general election, in Dhaka, on February 13, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by chairman Tarique Rahman, is set to return to power in Dhaka after two decades, following a landslide victory in the February 12 Parliamentary election, winning an absolute majority of seats, according to the Election Commission of Bangladesh.
The BNP-led alliance has secured 212 seats, giving it a two-thirds majority in the Jatiyo Sansad. The 11-party alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami has won 77 seats, while independent candidates won eight seats.
Mr. Rahman has started receiving congratulatory messages from world leaders, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke to him by phone on Friday (February 13, 2026) evening. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Chinese Foreign Ministry also congratulated the BNP.
‘No victory parade’
Bangladesh Nationalist Party spent the day in internal consultation as the top winners and the members of the party’s standing committee, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Mirza Abbas, Salauddin Ahmed and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, met Chairman Rahman in the Gulshan neighbourhood of Dhaka.
Mr. Rahman issued an internal order saying the party should avoid taking out a victory parade and joined his colleagues for the Friday prayers in the Gulshan Navi Jame Mosque. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke to the media and said that the party would take all sides along in governing Bangladesh in the coming years.
International congratulations
Nepal’s interim government’s Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu also congratulated Mr. Rahman on Facebook, expressing their desire to advance bilateral ties. Mr. Modi first wished Mr. Rahman on X and followed it up with a phone call.
“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,” the Prime Minister said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also congratulated Mr. Rahman. “For this great victory, my congratulations to my Tarique-Bhai, his party and all the parties. Pray you all will be well and happy,” she said. Briefing the media, BNP leader Mr. Choudhury acknowledged the messages from the leaders of Nepal, India and the Maldives and said, “They have expressed their desire to work with us.”
“Congratulations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its leader Tarique Rahman as well as the people of Bangladesh. The United States looks forward to working with the newly elected government to advance the prosperity and security of the region,” said Mr. Rubio. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China looks forward to “deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation,” and “further strengthen the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership”.
Transfer of power
While the process of transfer of power from the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will be clearer after a gazette notification by the Bangladesh Election Commission, the interim government has indicated that it is set to hand over the reins to the newly elected government by February 17 or 18.
“Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and legal luminaries are carrying out a consultation, and by Saturday (February 14, 2026), we will get to know when the oath-taking ceremony for the members of Parliament and the government will be completed,” Mr. Yunus’s press advisor Shafiqul Alam told The Hindu.
Bangladesh’s 2024 mass uprising, which led to the overthrow of the previous Sheikh Hasina government, also led to the dissolution of the Parliament, with most members of the ruling party fleeing the country. Subsequently, the Deputy Speaker of the 12th National Parliament, Shamsul Haque Tuku, was arrested. Given the circumstances surrounding the dissolution of the Parliament in 2024, the interim government will do a fool proof job so that the oath-taking will be a legally solid process, The Hindu was told.
Published – February 13, 2026 10:23 pm IST
