BJP Wins One Seat In Bangladesh, But It’s Not What You Think

Last Updated:February 13, 2026, 23:21 IST

Andaleeve Rahman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), an ally of Tarique Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been unofficially elected from the Bhola-1 constituency.

Bangladesh Polls: In a result that may raise eyebrows across the border, the BJP has won one seat in Bangladesh — but it is not India’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Andaleeve Rahman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), an ally of Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been unofficially elected from the Bhola-1 constituency in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament Election, BSS News reported.

As per results announced at the Result Collection and Dissemination Centre at Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, Rahman secured 105,543 votes, while his nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md Nazrul Islam, received 75,337 votes, the report added.

Additionally, in the referendum held alongside the parliamentary election, 143,473 voters in Bhola-1 cast their ballots in favour of “Yes", while 44,731 voted “No".

The results were formally declared at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital, marking the lone victory for the Bangladesh Jatiya Party in the parliamentary polls.

Bangladesh Polls

Thursday’s polls were the first since the 2024 student-led “Gen-Z" movement toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government, forcing the former prime minister to flee to India.

Following mass protests and nationwide unrest, the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus banned all Awami League activities. The Bangladesh Election Commission subsequently suspended the party’s registration, preventing it from contesting in the elections.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has handed a decisive mandate to the Tarique Rahman-led BNP. As the unofficial tallies continue to come in from Thursday’s voting, it is clear that the BNP, led by Tarique Rahman, has registered its victory over 200 seats in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation. The election was a direct contest between the BNP and its former ally, Jamaat-e-Islami.

Tarique Rahman’s political comeback marks a dramatic turn in Bangladesh’s turbulent political landscape. Often described by critics as the “dark prince" of Bangladeshi politics, the 60-year-old leader hails from one of the country’s most influential political families. He is the son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Rahman is likely to take the oath on Sunday.

News world BJP Wins One Seat In Bangladesh, But It’s Not What You Think

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