By Ruma Paul and Praveen Paramasivam
DHAKA, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's next prime minister, Tarique Rahman's priorities include improving the economy, law and order and governance, he said on Saturday, in his first public comments after his party's convincing parliamentary election victory.
"We have very serious challenges to face ... tackle the economy of the country ... to ensure good governance," Rahman told a media briefing.
Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a decisive two-thirds majority, returning to power after nearly two decades.
The landslide win, announced on Friday, followed months of political and economic turmoil after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-led uprising in 2024.
CHINA IS A 'DEVELOPMENT FRIEND'
Asked about his plans to jump-start the economy, he said he would encourage business and create more jobs.
He also said China was a "development friend", adding he hoped the countries would be in a position to work together.
Analysts say substantial economic incentives would ensure Bangladesh keeps strengthening ties with China.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which has been in charge since the former prime minister's ouster, on Saturday congratulated Rahman on his party's victory, saying the result was a milestone in the country's democratic transition.
International observers cautiously praised the conduct of the polls. The U.S.-based International Republican Institute said the election was peacefully and competently administered, but that the broader political environment remained fragile. It urged the incoming government to swiftly implement reforms to consolidate democratic gains.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM DREW STRONG PARTICIPATION
A constitutional referendum held alongside the election also drew strong participation. In it, voters approved reforms to introduce a two-term limit for prime ministers, to strengthen judicial independence and enhance women's representation.
The BNP's commanding majority is viewed by analysts as an opportunity to restore political stability after months of unrest. The Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to sit in opposition.
Rahman, 60, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman, the BNP's founder and a leading figure in Bangladesh's independence struggle.
Rivals have criticised his political career for alleged corruption, which he has denied. He returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in self-imposed exile in London, shortly before his mother's death last year.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul; editing by Barbara Lewis)
