After a gap of nearly two decades, BNP, led by Tarique Rahman, set to return to power after crossing the 151-seat threshold required to form a government.
Preliminary results indicate the party is on course to secure not just a simple majority, but a commanding two-thirds majority in parliament.
As of 8:30am on Friday, with unofficial results declared, BNP had won 212 seats. Its main rival, Jamaat-e-Islami, had secured 70 seats, while other parties and independent candidates won six.
Voting was held on Thursday in 299 constituencies. The election in one seat had been postponed earlier following the death of a candidate.
Counting is continuing in the remaining constituencies, but the early outcome signals a significant political shift after nearly 20 years out of office for BNP.
But beyond the political arithmetic, what stood out most about the day was the atmosphere.
After 16 years marked by what critics described as a culture of vote deprivation, a bloody July uprising led by students and citizens, and 18 months of reform under an interim administration, the country returned to the polls in an election that was largely peaceful — defying widespread fears of violence.
Across much of the country, voters cast their ballots in what officials, observers and many voters described as a calm and orderly environment. While isolated incidents occurred, there were no reports of widespread ballot-stuffing, mass centre takeovers or systematic disruption.
A vote long in the making
Voting began simultaneously at 7:30am in 42,779 polling stations across 299 parliamentary constituencies.
Alongside the parliamentary election, voters also took part in a national referendum to approve the proposed “July National Charter 2025”, aimed at reforming the state structure — an unprecedented move combining a general election and referendum on the same day.
For many, the day carried emotional weight.
Although voting began at 7:30am, the first official briefing was held at around 1:15pm. At that time, Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Hossain said that 32.88% of votes had been cast in 32,789 polling stations as of midday.
He later updated the figure, saying turnout had risen to 47.91% by 2:00pm.
No further formal updates were issued during the day. However, Election Commission sources indicated after the close of polling that overall turnout was estimated at around 61%.
At around 10:30pm, as partial, constituency-level results were being announced, journalists asked about the overall turnout rate. In response, Hossain said the final percentage would only be confirmed after vote counting in all 299 constituencies was completed.
“We will inform you of the total percentage of votes cast once counting in all 299 seats is finished,” he said. “So you will have to wait until then. Please be patient.”
This level of turnout came despite the absence of the Awami League, one of the country’s largest political parties, which had called on its supporters to boycott the vote.
That boycott appeared to affect turnout in parts of Greater Faridpur, particularly in Gopalganj district, where polling stations remained largely empty throughout the day. Lower participation was also reported in Madaripur and Shariatpur.
Elsewhere, however, scenes were markedly different.
From Dhaka to remote rural districts, long queues formed early in the morning. At many centres, voters began lining up more than an hour before polls opened. By midday, the Election Commission reported a nationwide turnout of 32%. By 2pm, that figure had risen to nearly 48%.
In Bogura — the ancestral district of BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman — district authorities confirmed that 53.14% of voters in the area’s seven constituencies had cast ballots within the first six and a half hours.
Out of 12.77 crore registered voters, participation by young people and women was particularly visible. More than 45 lakh new voters cast ballots for the first time. Some said they had been registered for 15 years but had never previously been able to vote in a competitive election.
In Dhaka neighbourhoods such as Gulshan, Azimpur and Mirpur, polling stations had a festive atmosphere. For the first time, expatriate Bangladeshis were able to vote via postal ballots, a move widely welcomed as expanding participation.
Fifty political parties and more than 2,000 candidates contested the election.
Security on an unprecedented scale
Given the country’s recent history, fears of unrest had loomed large.
To prevent disruption, authorities deployed approximately 9.58 lakh security personnel nationwide. This included 1.03 lakh army personnel, 8,500 members of the navy and air force, 37,453 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members and 1.87 lakh police personnel. More than 5.67 lakh Ansar members were also assigned to polling duties.
In a further effort to ensure transparency and deter malpractice, around 25,000 body-worn cameras were used for the first time. Nearly 90% of polling stations were monitored by CCTV. Law enforcement agencies also deployed drones to oversee centres from the air.
The heavy security presence appears to have played a key role in maintaining order, with only scattered incidents reported.
Isolated incidents
Despite the broadly peaceful atmosphere, several localised incidents occurred.
In Khulna, a BNP leader, Mohibuzzaman Kochi, died after reportedly suffering a heart attack during a scuffle between BNP and Jamaat supporters at an Alia Madrasa polling centre.
In Moulvibazar, the body of a tea worker was recovered under what authorities described as mysterious circumstances. In Patuakhali-2 and 3 constituencies, clashes between BNP and Jamaat supporters left at least 50 people injured.
In Sherpur, a group of youths snatched a book of ballot papers from a polling station. Law enforcement later recovered the ballots and arrested one individual, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by a mobile court.
In Panchagarh’s Atwari, a man was sentenced to three years in prison after being found soliciting votes while holding a sample ballot near a polling centre.
Several polling officers were withdrawn from duty after allegations of assisting specific candidates. In Mirpur and Jatrabari in Dhaka, three individuals were sentenced by executive magistrates for attempting to cast fraudulent votes.
However, election officials said such incidents were limited in scope and did not significantly affect the overall process.
Leaders hail a turning point
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus expressed satisfaction with the peaceful environment after casting his vote at Gulshan Model School and College.
“This election marks the end of a nightmare and the restoration of the people’s true power,” he said. “Today we are celebrating the birthday of a new Bangladesh.”
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, who voted at the same centre, described the day as a long-awaited moment for citizens seeking to reclaim what he called their “looted voting rights”. He said his party would accept the people’s verdict, whatever the outcome.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, voting at Monipur High School in Mirpur, called the election a “turning point” and thanked the administration and security forces for ensuring order.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said voting in all 299 constituencies concluded successfully in what he described as a festive environment. He said the commission had fulfilled its pledge to deliver a transparent and acceptable election.
Chief of Army General Waker-Uz-Zaman, after casting his vote at Adamjee Cantonment College, praised the professionalism of the armed forces in maintaining law and order.
Voting ended at 4:30pm — an hour later than usual — after the Election Commission extended polling time due to the addition of the referendum.
