Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Vote counting in the 13th national parliamentary election early this morning showed the BNP securing a majority of seats, with the party winning 151 constituencies so far.
Initial trends also indicated Jamaat-e-Islami would emerge as the main opposition, securing 43 seats.
Results continued to come in across the country, pointing to a decisive outcome in parliament.
Vote counting in the 13th national parliamentary election showed BNP taking an early lead on Thursday, with Jamaat-e-Islami poised to emerge as the main opposition in parliament.
In a landmark moment in Bangladesh’s democratic transition, millions of voters cast their ballots in a largely peaceful and festive atmosphere, marking the first general election and national referendum since the July Revolution of 2024.
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has won the Dhaka-17 constituency, according to unofficial results, said Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP Media Cell.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Tarique cast his vote in the 13th national parliamentary election at the Gulshan Model High School and College center in the capital.
He arrived at the center around 9:30am and exercised his vote. His wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, accompanied him.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir (Sheaf of Paddy) is leading with 39,101 votes from 35 polling centers, according to preliminary results.
His closest rival, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate "Dari Palla" (Scale), has received 25,976 votes, while Khadimul Islam of Islami Andolan Bangladesh has secured 705 votes.
The constituency has a total of 185 polling centers.
BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed is leading by a significant margin in the Cox’s Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua) in the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
According to preliminary results from 74 of the 177 polling centers, Salahuddin, contesting under the paddy sheaf symbol, has secured 121,119 votes.
Shishir Manir, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in the Sunamganj-2 constituency (Dirai-Shalla), has admitted defeat in the 13th National Parliament election.
At around 8:20pm on Thursday, Manir posted on his verified Facebook account acknowledging his defeat and extending his congratulations to his rival candidate Nasir Uddin Chowdhury.
Independent candidate Rumeen Farhana is leading in the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency, which covers Sarail, Ashuganj, and part of Bijoynagar.
As of 8:24pm, Farhana has received 9,648 votes from 12 polling centres, while her closest rival, BNP-alliance candidate Maulana Junaid Al Habib, vice-chairman of the central committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, has secured 6,745 votes.
Md Asaduzzaman, former attorney general of Bangladesh, has won in the preliminary results of the 13th National Parliamentary Election as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate from the Jhenaidah-1 (Shailkupa) constituency.
Asaduzzaman stepped down from his role as the 17th Attorney General to contest the election. Prior to serving as the country’s top legal officer, he held positions as Human Rights Secretary of the BNP Central Executive Committee and as an adviser to late party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Voting in Jhenaidah-1 concluded on Thursday afternoon, with a reportedly high turnout as residents exercised their constitutional right. Election officials are expected to announce the official results in the coming days.
Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser of the southern region of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and candidate of the 11-party alliance, is leading in four polling centres in the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency, according to officially announced results.
Results from Gopal Nagar, his hometown polling centre, show that Hasnat secured 3,084 votes, while his rival, Md A Jasim Uddin of the Gono Odhikar Parishad (Truck symbol), received no votes.
At Ward 7 of the municipal centre, Hasnat obtained 1,383 votes compared to Jasim Uddin’s 480.
Returning officers in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum have received 11,43,845 postal ballots from voters registered through the “Postal Vote BD” app.
Of these, 4,95,551 were cast by expatriate voters and 6,48,294 by domestic voters under the Inland Conditional Postal Voting (ICPV) system.
Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project on expatriate voter registration, said that as of 2pm Thursday, 7,66,862 ballots had been sent to overseas voters. Among them, 5,54,258 received their ballots, 5,43,751 completed voting, and 5,37,554 were submitted to postal authorities abroad. So far, 4,98,266 overseas ballots have arrived in Bangladesh.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said the country is set to have an elected government and parliament through the ongoing national election.
“None had imagined the voting would be so festive. The enthusiasm and interest of the people are remarkable. I have visited around a hundred polling centres throughout the day. The election has been held very peacefully and beautifully,” he told reporters while visiting Thakurgaon Government Boys’ High School polling centre on Thursday afternoon.
Expressing optimism about the outcome, Fakhrul said he believes the results will be positive.
In the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency, Gono Odhikar Parishad candidate Md A Jasim Uddin (Truck symbol) announced Thursday that he is boycotting the vote, citing widespread irregularities and malpractice.
Jasim Uddin made the announcement during a Facebook Live broadcast around 5pm., after voting had concluded. During the broadcast, he alleged that his polling agents were barred from entering multiple polling centers and forcibly removed from several stations. He also claimed that ordinary voters were obstructed from casting ballots and pressured to vote for a particular symbol. “This is a farcical election. Therefore, I am boycotting it,” he said.
There had been concerns over the participation of artistes in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, as many were abroad, while others were reportedly reluctant to visit polling centres for fear of any untoward situation.
However, as voting began on Thursday, artistes and cultural figures across the country gradually turned up at polling centres and took part in the election.
Mahdi Amin, spokesperson for the BNP’s election management committee and adviser to the party chairman, on Thursday called on all stakeholders to remain vigilant to ensure that the results of the 13th National Parliament Election are announced accurately.
He made the remarks at a press conference at the BNP election management office in Gulshan, Dhaka.
Mahdi expressed gratitude to the Election Commission, the armed forces, the caretaker government, and law enforcement agencies involved in the election. He also extended condolences to the families of those injured or killed in election-related violence.
Four election officials were withdrawn from duty in Mymensingh and Naogaon on Thursday following allegations of irregularities during voting.
In Mymensingh’s Bhaluka upazila, an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers were dismissed at Kansherkul High School centre over allegations of allowing open voting, and forcing out agents of rival candidates.
Confirming the matter, Bhaluka Upazila Nirbahi Officer and assistant returning officer Firoz Hossain said an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers were removed for not preventing open voting.
Law enforcement agencies strengthened security around polling centers across the country after voting concluded on Thursday afternoon, moving political party activists and supporters away from the immediate vicinity.
Shortly after polling ended at the scheduled time, members of the forces assigned to maintain law and order instructed individuals gathered near polling stations to disperse.
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday said his party wanted to run the country with all those parties that participated with them in the movement.
“We want to run the country (more or less) with those with whom we carried out the movement,” he said while talking to reporters in front of BNP’s Gulshan office after visiting several polling centres in the capital.
He expressed confidence that his party will win the historic election.
Asked how many seats they expect to win, Tarique replied: “We are optimistic that we will win enough constituencies so that we can govern the country well.”
Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday said the people played an active role in determining the country’s future by exercising their constitutional rights in the 13th National Parliament election and the referendum on the implementation of the July National Charter.
Speaking after voting concluded, Yunus said the peaceful, orderly and festive conduct of the polls reflected the nation’s firm commitment to democracy.
“The spontaneous participation of voters, the responsible conduct of political parties, the restraint of candidates and the professionalism of all institutions related to the election—this combined effort has proven that our commitment to democracy remains firm,” he said.
“By exercising their constitutional rights, the people have played an active role in determining the future of the country.”
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Thursday alleged that there have been attempts to cast fake votes in different parts of the country.
He urged the people to guard their respective polling stations until the results were announced to protect the people's right to vote.
The Jamaat Ameer made this call in a status posted on his verified Facebook page on Thursday afternoon.
Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) Ivars Ijabs on Thursday said the mission had witnessed “a lot of positive enthusiasm and participation” by voters till noon, expressing hope that the trend would continue throughout the day.
Briefing journalists after visiting the Curzon Hall polling centre at Dhaka University, Ijabs said the EU mission is closely monitoring voting across the country through its observers deployed nationwide.
“We have seen a lot of positive enthusiasm and participation on behalf of Bangladeshi citizens, and let us all hope that it’s going to stay like that until the very end of the voting,” he said.
Counting of votes in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament Election has begun after voting ended at 4:30pm on Thursday in 299 constituencies across the country.
Voting started at 7:30am and continued uninterrupted through ballot papers in transparent ballot boxes at 42,659 polling stations nationwide. The election in Sherpur-3 constituency was postponed following the death of a Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.
According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 47.91% votes were cast in 36,031 centers until 2pm.
Monira Sharmin, secretary of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) Election Management Committee, has alleged multiple irregularities in the ongoing national election, warning that any attempt to manipulate the results would not be accepted.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor in the capital, Sharmin said the voting process was generally smooth until noon, but complaints of misconduct began surfacing afterward, with no action taken by authorities.
Voting in the 13th National Parliament Election began at 7:30am on Thursday, with polling taking place across 299 constituencies amid tight security and high public anticipation.
The voting continued uninterrupted until 4:30pm at 42,659 polling stations nationwide. The election in Sherpur-3 constituency has been postponed following the death of a candidate.
A total of 127,298,522 voters in 299 constituencies are eligible to cast their ballots. Of them, 64,620,077 are male voters, 62,677,232 female voters and 1,213 third-gender voters. The total number of voters across 300 constituencies stands at 127,711,899.
Former U.S. Congressman David Dreier, currently heading an International Republican Institute (IRI) election observation mission, has described Bangladesh’s national election as “free, fair and festive,” expressing optimism about the country’s democratic process.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune after visiting Manarat International School and College polling stations in Gulshan on Thursday, Dreier said he observed an orderly voting environment and a strong sense of public enthusiasm.
“Today is a very exciting day in the history of this wonderful country,” he said. “This is my first visit to Bangladesh and I can see the excitement, happiness, and festive feeling among so many Bangladeshis.”
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Thursday praised the role of the army in maintaining order during the ongoing election.
Speaking at a briefing at the party’s central election office in the capital in the afternoon, he alleged that BNP supporters had occupied polling centres in different areas, but said the army intervened promptly.
“In several places, BNP supporters tried to take control of centres. However, the army freed those centres within a short time. The role of the army across the country is commendable,” he said.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus visited several polling centres in the capital after casting his vote, speaking with voters and assessing the election process.
He inspected the overall election situation at Badda High School and SOS Hermann Gmeiner College polling centres in Mirpur, interacting with both voters and election officials.
A total of 47.91% votes were cast in 36,031 centers until 2pm in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said on Thursday.
Briefing reporters at the Election Commission, he said voting took place at 42,651 centers across the country.
“Until 2pm, 47.91% votes have been cast in 36,031 centers. Though the rate was low at noon, it increased later,” he said.
Responding to allegations raised by Jamaat, the EC secretary said the matter will be looked into.
Allegations have surfaced that a presiding officer at polling station in Naogaon signed and sealed a result sheet before the completion of vote counting and the official announcement.
The incident occurred around 12:00 pm on Thursday at the Katkhair High School polling center in Sadar Upazila.
Following the complaint, the presiding officer, Nazim Uddin, was withdrawn from duty around 1:30 pm by the assistant returning officer and Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Ibnul Abedin.
BNP Chairperson’s Adviser and spokesperson of the party’s Election Management Committee Dr Mahdi Amin on Thursday alleged that a rival party was attempting to create an unstable situation after “realising BNP’s impending victory.”
He made the remarks while briefing journalists at the BNP’s election management office in Gulshan in the afternoon.
“Fearing defeat, an opposing party has carried out various immoral acts since Wednesday night, which are clear violations of the election code of conduct,” he said.
National Citizens Party (NCP) spokesperson and election management committee chairman Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain said that while the atmosphere was somewhat tense last night, voting has been proceeding smoothly since Thursday morning. He noted that voter turnout was relatively low in the morning but added that the overall environment remained peaceful and controlled, with most polling centres operating without disruption, except for a few isolated incidents.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote at the Government Laboratory High School polling centre in Dhaka during the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum, Asif Mahmud said: “I was registered to vote in the last two elections but couldn’t cast my ballot. This is my first time voting. For nearly 40 million young voters like me, this is a new experience. I hope that the enthusiasm and energy of people across the country is reflected in a smooth election process.”
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday said Bangladesh has set out on the path of democracy and expressed hope that the "train of democracy" will reach its destination.
He made the remarks while talking to reporters after casting his vote at Eskaton Garden High School polling centre in the capital.
The CEC said public confidence in the Election Commission is already being restored through the current polls. “If trust has not returned, so many people would not have come to the polling centres.”
During the 13th national parliamentary election, Dhaka-17’s slum areas, including much-talked Korail slum, witnessed a heavy turnout of voters at two prominent polling centres. The constituency has around 45,000 registered voters, with one centre for women at Banani Model School and another for men at Banani T&T Boys High School. Each centre hosts four separate polling booths.
On Thursday (February 12) around 12:30 pm, reporters observed large crowds at every booth, with long queues extending from the fourth floor of the buildings down to the open grounds.
Law enforcement officials were struggling to manage the crowd. Many voters complained that the voting process was very slow, although election officials maintained that polling was proceeding at a normal pace.
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday called for the prompt announcement of election results.
He made the demand during a brief interaction with journalists at his Gulshan office after casting his vote and visiting several polling centres.
Tarique Rahman said the Election Commission must take effective steps so that voters can quickly know the outcome of the votes they cast, warning that any delay in publishing the results could create confusion.
A presiding officer has alleged that an unusually large crowd at Anandanagar Adarsha High School polling centre in Dhaka-11 constituency was “artificially created”.
By 11:30am, the average turnout at the six polling centres at the school stood at 23.96%.
Presiding Officer MA Mohibur Rahman said: “There should not be this many voters. The crowd is being created artificially. Such a situation may be created to prevent genuine voters from casting their votes.”
He also said a magistrate had already been informed to bring the situation under control and that he had received assurance that the army would be deployed.
BNP Standing Committee member and Chittagong-11 (Bandar-Patenga) constituency candidate Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Thursday expressed optimism about the state of democracy, saying that voters were casting their ballots spontaneously.
Speaking to journalists after voting at around 11:45 am at Kattali Munshipara Government Primary School under the Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) constituency, Amir Khasru said, “People are voting spontaneously. We can feel that democracy is returning.”
He said that during every critical and challenging period in the country’s history, the people of Bangladesh have placed their trust in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Voter turnout across 32,789 polling stations stood at 32.88% as of 12 noon, Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters on Thursday afternoon. He noted that polling was progressing steadily nationwide.
Independent candidate Tasnim Jara on Thursday alleged that female polling agents were being harassed and obstructed from entering polling centres at several locations in the Dhaka-9 constituency.
Talking to reporters after visiting the Khilgaon Model College polling centre in the morning, Jara said her polling agents, particularly women, were facing barriers while trying to enter multiple centres.
“Our polling agents are being prevented from entering polling centres on various pretexts. They are not being allowed inside, and female agents are being harassed,” she said.
Jara alleged that officials responsible for managing the polling centres were creating obstacles by inventing arbitrary rules. According to her, female agents were denied access, forced to leave centres, or subjected to inconsistent instructions.
Voter turnout has increased at polling centers in Barisal after 10am on Thursday.
Men and women, as well as young people voting for the first time, were seen gathering at the centers.
Meanwhile, candidates from the sheaf of paddy, scale, and hand fan symbols in Barisal’s six constituencies cast their votes at their respective centers and expressed hope that the rest of the election would be conducted fairly.
Sixty-year-old Jalil Mridha, who came to vote at the Barisal Nuria Secondary School centre, said that he had been unable to vote in the last three elections.
Whenever he arrived at the centre, he was told that his vote had already been cast.
For this reason, he came early this year and was able to cast his own vote without facing any problems. Several other voters shared similar experiences.
A crude bomb explosion followed by a chase and counter-chase occurred at Makhati Gurucharan High School in Mollakandi Union of Sadar upazila in Munshiganj.
The incident took place around 11am on Thursday, Munshigan Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Mominul Islam said.
He said supporters of BNP-backed candidate Kamruzzaman (Sheaf of Paddy symbol) and independent candidate Mohiuddin were involved. However, the OC could not confirm whether anyone was injured.
Candidates across several Chittagong constituencies cast their votes on Thursday morning, expressing satisfaction with the election atmosphere.
Jamaat’s Dr AKM Fazlul Haque, BNP’s Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Aslam Chowdhury, and Humam Quader Chowdhury all reported peaceful conditions and strong voter presence.
Liberal Democratic Party chief Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed also voted in Chandanaish, where his son is contesting.
Other BNP and Jamaat nominees, including Sarwar Alamgir, Mohammad Nurul Amin, and several others, exercised their franchise as polling continued across the district.
Voting began at 7:30am on Thursday, with polling observed to be largely peaceful across several centres in the capital. While long queues formed at some locations early in the day, others saw comparatively light turnout and empty booths.
Jamaat-backed alliance candidate and Chief Coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Nasiruddin Patwary on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the overall voting atmosphere in Dhaka-8 constituency, though he alleged that his supporters were attacked the previous night.
Talking to reporters after visiting the Arambagh High School and College polling centre in the morning, Nasiruddin said the situation remained peaceful.
“So far, the voting environment is good. No untoward incident has occurred since morning,” he said.
Patwary, however, alleged that his supporters came under attack on Wednesday night. Expressing optimism about his electoral prospects, Nasiruddin said, “My victory in this constituency would mean Osman Hadi’s victory. People have told me they are casting their votes for Hadi through me.”
National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Organiser (South Region) and Comilla-4 candidate Hasnat Abdullah on Thursday said till now the voting is being held in a festive atmosphere.
“Voting is being held in a festive atmosphere. It remains to be seen how the situation progresses as the day advances,” he said while casting his vote at Gopalnagar High School polling centre in Cumilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency around 8:30am.
He also said that the new voters were turning up enthusiastically to take part in the election.
Voting began at 7:30am on Thursday at more than 42,000 polling centres across the country in 299 constituencies.
Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to the interim government, cast his ballot in the 13th parliamentary election at Gulshan Model High School and College in Dhaka around 10:20am on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after voting, Yunus described the day as one of “great joy,” calling it “the birthday of the new Bangladesh.”
He said the nation had “completely renounced the nightmarish past” and urged citizens to participate in both the parliamentary election and the referendum.
He concluded his remarks by extending greetings to the nation, saying “Eid Mubarak.”
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin expressed optimism about the ongoing voting process after casting his ballot in Dhaka on Thursday.
“We wanted to gift the nation an election in a festive mood,” he told reporters, likening the turnout to people travelling home for Eid.
He added that Bangladesh has “boarded the train of democracy” and would soon “reach its destination.”
Nasir Uddin said he had met dozens of international election observers and watchdog groups in recent days, claiming they were “very satisfied with the arrangements” made by the Election Commission.
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman cast his vote at Gulshan Model High School and College in Dhaka during the 13th national parliamentary election on Thursday morning. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman.
Tarique arrived at the polling centre around 9:30am and exercised his franchise shortly after. Following the vote, he spoke to journalists present at the venue.
The BNP chief is contesting the election from two constituencies — Dhaka-17 and Bogra-6.
BNP Standing Committee member and sheaf of paddy candidate Salahuddin Ahmed cast his vote in the 13th National Parliament Election and referendum at a polling centre in Pekua, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday morning.
He exercised his franchise around 8:20am at the Government Model GMC Institution centre in Pekua upazila sadar, shortly after voting began.
Salahuddin is contesting from the Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency, comprising Chakaria and Pekua upazilas.
His wife, former MP Hasina Ahmed, and son Sayeed Ibrahim Ahmed, along with other family members, also cast their votes at the same centre.
Speaking to reporters after voting, Salahuddin said: “A turning point in history has begun. I stood at the end of the line to cast my vote. People are now aware of their voting rights. So far, the voting environment is good and normal.”
Casting her vote for the first time, Afiya Jannat, a student of Viqarunnesa Noon School and College, said Thursday’s election carried deeper meaning for her generation -- one shaped by the July uprising and its sacrifices.
“I cast my first vote in the country after July. It feels good to be able to practice civil rights for the first time,” she said after voting at around 8:30am at Kamrunnesa Girls’ High School in Tikatuli, Dhaka.
Standing outside the polling center with her mother, Afiya reflected on the significance of the moment.
“We are in this situation today in exchange for so many martyrs. So, there will be expectations that the spirit of July and the demands will be fulfilled,” she said.
For many young voters like her, Thursday’s ballot is not just a constitutional exercise but a symbolic continuation of the student-led movement that reshaped the country’s political landscape.
Afiya described the voting experience as smooth and orderly. “I feel very good after voting. The environment of the center is also good,” she added.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman cast his vote in the 13th National Parliament Election and the referendum on Thursday morning.
He cast his vote at the Manipur High School (Boys’ Branch) polling centre in Mirpur at around 8:30am.
Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Bangladesh, Ivars Ijabs, on Thursday said it is really a big day for Bangladesh’s democracy as they began observing the country’s twin elections —national election and referendum—across the country.
"I think this really a big day for Bangladesh’s democracy," he told reporters at Siddheswari Girls' College at New Bailey Road after observing the opening of the vote casting.
National Citizens Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam casts his vote at AKM Rahmatullah University College and addresses the media at 8:05am on Thursday.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir casts his vote at Thakurgaon Government Girls’ High School on Thursday morning at 7:40am.
Votes are being cast across 42,761 polling centres in 64 districts for 300 parliamentary constituencies, according to the Election Commission.
