End of the ‘Battle of Begums’ era: BNP set to govern Bangladesh after 2024 uprising | Top developments

BNP crosses majority mark in first election since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster; Tarique Rahman set to lead as constitutional reforms clear referendum.

• BNP claims victory in Bangladesh's first post-uprising election
• Tarique Rahman set to become Prime Minister after BNP win
• July 2024 reforms require interim governments, bicameral parliament

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In the first parliamentary election since the 2024 student-led uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s long-entrenched government, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) alliance appears set to form the next government. Unofficial results suggest the BNP has crossed the halfway mark, ending decades defined by the 'Battle of Begums,' Hasina versus Khaleda Zia, and opening an uncertain new chapter for Dhaka, Delhi and the wider region.

Here are the top developments.

BNP claims victory after post-uprising polls

Bangladesh Nationalist Party said it had secured enough seats to form the government in the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

A senior leader, Salahuddin Ahmed, told AFP the victory was “expected” and framed it as a mandate from youth who led the 2024 uprising. The party struck a restrained tone, saying it was “not a time for celebration” but for confronting “mounting challenges”.

Tarique Rahman set to become next Prime Minister

Tarique Rahman, BNP chairman and son of the late former PM Khaleda Zia, is poised to take office.

Rahman asked party workers to postpone celebrations out of respect for his mother’s passing. BNP has called for nationwide prayers after Friday congregational prayers. Zia had been Hasina’s most formidable rival for decades; BNP had boycotted the 2024 election.

Jamaat-e-Islami alliance wins 70 seats, alleges delays

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance has won 70 constituencies, according to unofficial tallies cited by ANI.

However, party leaders alleged that the Election Commission was deliberately slowing result announcements in several seats. Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair warned of agitation if irregularities were proven. The Commission has yet to formally respond to the claims.

US calls it a 'historic victory'

The United States Embassy in Dhaka congratulated the BNP and Rahman on what it described as a “historic victory”, saying Washington looked forward to advancing shared goals of “prosperity and security”.

The statement signals early US engagement with the likely new administration.

Turnout low at around 40%

Nearly 128 million Bangladeshis were registered to vote, but turnout stood at roughly 40 percent.

Polling closed at 4:30 pm on February 12. Counting began immediately, with trends emerging around midnight. Formal declaration awaits final results from the remaining constituencies.

End of the ‘Battle of Begums’ era

With Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League barred from contesting and Hasina in self-imposed exile in India, Bangladesh’s politics has broken from a decades-long Hasina-versus-Zia binary.

Hasina has dismissed the election as a “farce”. The results mark the most consequential political reset since her ouster.

July 2024 Charter reforms approved

Alongside parliamentary voting, a referendum approved constitutional reforms under the ‘July 2024 Charter’.

Key changes include: mandatory neutral interim governments during elections, a bicameral parliament, enhanced women’s representation, stronger judicial independence, and a two-term cap on the prime minister.

If implemented fully, these would structurally reshape Bangladesh’s political architecture.

Yunus calls vote a constitutional expression of public awakening

Muhammad Yunus, Nobel laureate and head of the interim government installed after Hasina’s ouster, said the election represented a constitutional channeling of public anger over inequality and injustice.

He framed the vote as more than routine, a moment of institutional transition.

India faces delicate recalibration

New Delhi is watching closely.

Hasina remains in India and has reportedly been sentenced to death in Bangladesh over alleged “crimes against humanity” during the 2024 protests. India has not extradited her, creating friction with Dhaka.

A BNP-led government, historically seen as less aligned with India and more open to Islamist political currents, complicates cross-border security, trade and minority issues.

Minority concerns and Pakistan factor resurface

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented over 2,000 incidents of communal violence between August and December 2024, according to the Associated Press.

India has flagged a “disturbing pattern” of attacks on Hindus; Bangladesh has rejected the criticism as politically motivated.

How the incoming government addresses minority security, and balances relations with India and Pakistan, will be an early test of credibility.