Mamata ‘Didi’ showers sweets, flowers on ‘Tarique bhai’ after BNP sweeps Bangladesh elections

Mamata Banerjee sends sweets, flowers to 'bhai' Tarique Rahman on Bangladesh win

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday sent flowers and sweets to Tarique Rahman following his party’s sweeping victory in Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s 13th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.

The gifts were received at the party chairperson’s political office in Gulshan by media cell member Atiqur Rahman Ruman in the presence of special officer Mehedul Islam Mehedi.

Message on X, Ramazan greetings

Earlier, Banerjee congratulated the party in a post on X, writing, "My heart congratulations, shubhonondon, to all my brothers and sisters, all the people, in Bangladesh. My advance Ramazan Mubarak to all of them. For this great victory, my congratulations to my Tarique Bhai, his party, and all parties. Pray, you all be well and happy."

She also expressed hope that bilateral ties would remain strong. Narendra Modi likewise congratulated Rahman in a Facebook post, saying he warmly congratulated him for leading the BNP to a decisive victory.

Election results

According to the Election Commission of Bangladesh, results were declared for 297 of 300 seats. The BNP and its allies secured 212 seats, while the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance won 77. Islami Andolan Bangladesh secured one seat and independents took seven.

The vote marked a decisive win for the BNP in the country’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad polls.

This comes as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government, led by Tarique Rahman, has invited Narendra Modi and other regional leaders to attend the new prime minister’s swearing-in ceremony in Dhaka on February 17, people familiar with the matter told HT.

However, it is unlikely that PM Modi will go to Dhaka since he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting in Mumbai with French President Emmanuel Macron on February 17.