Tarique Rahman likely to take oath as Bangladesh PM on Saturday

TARIQUE Rahman is likely to take oath as Bangladesh Prime Minister on Saturday, February 14, as his party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), won an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the 13th general elections, according to news agency PTI.

Latest counts in a vote in Bangladesh's first truly competitive election in years gave the BNP and its allies at least 212 of the 299 seats, domestic TV channels said. The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 70 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation.

The Election Commission put the BNP at 181 seats, the Jamaat-e-Islami at 61 and others at 7, with full official results not expected before noon on Friday.

No rally

The BNP, which will be returning to power after 20 years, thanked the people soon and called for special prayers on Friday for the nation and its people, according to the Daily Star.

"Despite winning ... by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised," BNP chairman’s press secretary Saleh Shibly said in a statement.

Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also reiterated the party's stake at the resounding win and called for followers to give thanks in prayer rather than celebrate on the streets.

"There will be no victory rally despite the BNP's sweeping victory," Rizvi said in a statement. "We will hold special prayers."

Jamaat cries foul

BNP's main rival, Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist party leading a wider coalition, said it had "serious questions about the integrity of the results process".

Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman, 67, had mounted a disciplined grassroots campaign on a platform of justice and ending corruption.

His party said it was "not satisfied with the process surrounding the election results", claiming it had logged "repeated inconsistencies and fabrications in unofficial result announcements", but without giving further details.

When will the official result be announced?

The Election Commission, which said that turnout was 59 per cent, is expected to release final results later on Friday, for a total of the 299 constituencies of 300 in which voting took place.

Another 50 seats in parliament reserved for women will be named from party lists.

Congratulations pour in for BNP

The US embassy swiftly congratulated Rahman and the BNP for a "historic victory", while neighbouring India praised his "decisive win" -- significant after rocky recent relations with Dhaka.

“The United States looks forward to working with you to achieve shared goals of prosperity and security for both our countries,” U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen wrote on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended warm congratulations to Rahman on leading the BNP to a decisive victory in Bangladesh's parliamentary elections. In a post on X, Modi said the result reflected the trust of the Bangladeshi people in Rahman's leadership.

"India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals," PM Modi wrote.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also extended felicitations to Rahman on leading the BNP to a "resounding victory" in the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.

"I extend my warmest felicitations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading the BNP to a resounding victory in theparliamentaryy elections in Bangladesh. I also congratulate the people of Bangladesh on the successful conduct of the elections," he wrote in a post on X.