By Ruma Paul, Tora Agarwala and Krishna N. Das
DHAKA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, returning to power after nearly two decades and positioning party leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister as the country emerges from months of unrest and economic disruption.
Rahman, the son of former premier Khaleda Zia and assassinated former President Ziaur Rahman, faces immediate challenges in restoring political stability, reviving investor confidence and rebuilding key industries - including the garment sector - after prolonged turmoil following the collapse of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024.
An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has since been in charge.
A clear outcome was seen as key for the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and industries including garment manufacturing. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest apparel exporter.
YOUTH ACTIVIST PARTY SLUMPS
"A strong majority gives the BNP the parliamentary strength to pass reforms efficiently and avoid legislative paralysis. That alone can create short-term political stability," said Selim Raihan, an economics professor at the University of Dhaka.
The official count in a vote viewed as the South Asian nation's first truly competitive election in years gave the BNP and its allies at least 212 out of 299 seats, the Election Commission said. The opposition Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 77 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation. Results for two seats were yet to be declared.
The National Citizen Party, led by youth activists who played a key role in toppling Hasina and part of a Jamaat-led alliance, won just six of the 30 seats it contested, highlighting the difficulty of converting protest momentum into electoral support.
Rahman, 60, did not comment after trends in favour of his party became clear, though he had expressed confidence in securing victory ahead of the vote. He smiled and waved from his vehicle to journalists gathered outside his house in Dhaka as he left for a mosque, television footage showed.
The BNP asked people to refrain from large celebrations and offer special prayers on Friday instead.
"Despite winning ... by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised," the party said.
In its manifesto, the BNP promised to prioritise job creation, protect low-income households, and ensure fair prices to farmers.
DESIRE FOR STABILITY
"If the factories run regularly and we get our wages on time, that’s what matters to us. I just want ... stability so more orders come to Bangladesh and we can survive," said Josna Begum, a 28-year-old garment worker and mother of two.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen, were among the first to congratulate Rahman on the BNP's victory.
India, China and the U.S. are vying for influence in Bangladesh, with the U.S. ambassador telling Reuters this week that Washington was concerned about China's growing presence.
"It is an opportunity for Bangladesh ... it has these major powers around it that are vying for influence. It's also a challenge. How do you manage those relationships?" said Thomas Kean, a senior consultant with the International Crisis Group.
New Delhi-Dhaka relations had nosedived since Hasina fled to India, affecting everything from visa services to cricket ties.
Salahuddin Ahmed, a leading figure in the BNP, said the party would formally ask India to extradite Hasina, who was sentenced to death in November over a deadly crackdown on the 2024 student-led uprising.
"We will ask the Indian government to send her back to face trial," he told reporters. Hasina has previously rejected the accusations against her and said they are politically motivated.
Previous requests by the interim government for Hasina's extradition have gone unheeded.
TURNOUT SURGES
The Jamaat-e-Islami conceded defeat late on Thursday once trends became clear, but said on Friday that it was "not satisfied" with the process, asking its followers to remain patient.
The party won a record 68 seats in its first election since a 2013 ban on it was lifted after Hasina's ouster.
The BNP win surpasses its last victory in 2001, when it won 193 seats, although Hasina's Awami League, which ruled for 15 years and was barred from contesting this time, secured a bigger tally of 230 in 2008.
Thursday's election recorded a nearly 60% turnout, according to the Election Commission, well over the 42% in the last election in 2024.
The ballot featured a record number of parties, more than 50, and over 2,000 candidates, many of them independents.
The election commission also said around 48 million voters backed constitutional reforms in a referendum held alongside the election, with 23 million voting against them.
The changes include two-term limits for prime ministers and stronger judicial independence and women's representation
(Reporting by Ruma Paul, Krishna Das and Tora Agarwala in Dhaka; Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar and Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Aidan Lewis)
