Bangladesh election results 2026 by the numbers announced

Bangladesh Holds Elections for Prime Minister and Parliament

A nationwide election has commenced in Bangladesh, with nearly 127 million eligible voters casting their ballots to elect a new government. The five-year term will determine the country’s prime minister and parliament.

The election is being held 18 months after a student-led movement ended Sheikh Hasina’s two-decade rule as prime minister. Alliances led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami are competing for seats in the national assembly.

Polling began at 7:30am local time and will close at 4:30pm. The Bangladesh Election Commission has stated that vote counting may take longer than usual due to the inclusion of both parliamentary voting ballots and a referendum on the July National Charter.

In previous elections, unofficial results have typically emerged early in the morning. However, officials have indicated that this time may be different due to the increased number of parties and candidates participating.

Bangladesh’s electoral history has been dominated by the Awami League, which came to power in 2009 after a significant defeat of the BNP. The party has since consolidated its dominance, winning most elections with a landslide majority.

The election is being held across 42,761 polling centers in 64 districts for 300 parliamentary constituencies. There are also 50 seats reserved for women’s representation, which will be allocated proportionally after the election results.

A total of 1,981 candidates are contesting in the elections, including 249 independent ones. The center-right BNP is leading a coalition of 10 parties, with Tarique Rahman at its helm.

International observers and opposition groups have raised concerns about the fairness of the election. However, details on the voting process and outcome will be released by the Bangladesh Election Commission as it completes the vote counting.

Source: Al Jazeera