BNP Takes Commanding Early Lead in Bangladesh’s 13th General Election
DHAKA, Feb 13, 2026 – Early results from Bangladesh’s historic 13th parliamentary election show the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) pulling significantly ahead of its rivals.
Note: 151 seats are required for a simple majority in the 300-seat Jatiya Sangsad.
Key Highlights of the Results So Far
BNP Dominance: The BNP has emerged as the clear frontrunner, making significant gains in urban centers.
Party Chairman Tarique Rahman has secured a massive victory in his contested seats, including Bogra-6 and Dhaka-17. Jamaat’s Position: Jamaat-e-Islami, leading an 11-party alliance, currently holds the second position. While they have secured strong support in several northern and coastal districts, they currently trail the BNP by a wide margin.
Turnout Figures: The Election Commission (EC) confirmed a robust voter turnout, which reached 47.91% by 2:00 PM on Thursday.
Final turnout is expected to climb as data from the final hours of polling is tabulated. Historical Context: This is the first national election since the 2024 uprising.
With the Awami League excluded from the ballot, the competition has turned into a "bipolar" contest between traditional center-right forces and a surging conservative-student alliance. Detailed Election Results (Unofficial)
Constituency Winning Candidate Political Party / Alliance Votes Received Nearest Rival (Party) Bogra-6 Tarique Rahman BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 216,284 Abidur Rahman (Jamaat) Dhaka-17 Tarique Rahman BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) Victory Confirmed — Panchagarh-1 Naushad Jamir BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 174,430 Sarjis Alam (NCP) Thakurgaon-1 Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 232,635 Delowar Hossain (Jamaat) Netrokona-1 Barrister Kayser Kamal BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 158,343 Golam Robbani (Kh. Majlish) Habiganj-1 Dr. Reza Kibria BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 111,073 Sirajul Islam (Kh. Majlish) Habiganj-2 Dr. Abu Monsur Sakhowat BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 125,200 Abdul Basit Azad (Kh. Majlish) Dhaka-6 Ishraque Hossain BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 78,141 Abdul Mannan (Jamaat) Dhaka-8 Mirza Abbas BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 57,092 Nasiruddin Patwari (NCP) Dhaka-15 Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Jamaat-e-Islami (Scale) 82,645 Shafiqul Islam Milton Faridpur-2 Shama Obayed BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 120,909 Md. Akram Ali (Kh. Majlish) Panchagarh-2 Farhad Hossain Azad BNP (Sheaf of Paddy) 101,808 Md. Shafiullah Sufi (Jamaat) Dhaka 11 Nahid Islam NCP 98.202 Dr. MA Qayyum Cumilla-4 Hasnat Abdullah NCP 1, 72,000 Md Jashim Key Highlights of the Winners
Tarique Rahman (Bogra-6 & Dhaka-17): The BNP Chairman secured a landslide victory in his family stronghold of Bogra-6 and was also declared the winner in the high-profile Dhaka-17 seat.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman (Dhaka-15): The Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami won the Mirpur-based constituency, defeating his nearest rival by over 20,000 votes.
Naushad Jamir (Panchagarh-1): In one of the most competitive races, Jamir defeated National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Sarjis Alam by a margin of 8,304 votes.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir (Thakurgaon-1): The BNP Secretary General maintained his dominance in Thakurgaon, securing over 2.3 lakh votes.
Ishraque Hossain (Dhaka-6): Carrying the legacy of his father, late Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Ishraque won the Old Dhaka seat against the Jamaat-backed candidate.
Election Summary
The 2026 election featured 51 political parties and was held alongside a national referendum. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout was approximately 71.3% in some major areas, though it varied significantly across the country.
Counting and Referendum
For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, voters also participated in a National Referendum on the "July Charter," a set of 84 constitutional reforms proposed by the interim government.
Security and Incidents
While the Election Commission described the process as "largely peaceful," the day was not without tension. Isolated clashes were reported in districts like Gopalganj and Munshiganj, and a fatal confrontation in Khulna resulted in the death of a local political activist. Despite these incidents, no polling centers were fully suspended.
What’s Next?
The Election Commission expects to announce the final official results by Friday afternoon. Returning officers are currently consolidating figures from over 42,000 polling stations to determine which party will lead the country for the next five years.
