DHAKA (REUTERS)

Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, returning to power after nearly two decades and positioning party leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister.

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 that followed the collapse of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024.

The latest counts 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 of the 299 seats up for grabs, local TV channels said. The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 70 seats in ​the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation.

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 a statement.

The Election Commission put the BNP at 181 seats, the Jamaat-e-Islami at 61 and others at 7, with full official results yet to come.

Results in several seats are still being processed and the full result is expected within hours, the commission said, though the gazette notification will take a few more days, which could delay the swearing-in of the new government.

Under the constitution, the new government cannot be sworn in unless the ‌gazette notification reporting the results is released.

A clear outcome had been viewed as key for stability in the nation of 175 million. Bangladesh is the No. 2 exporter of apparel in the world.

In its manifesto, the BNP promised to prioritise job creation, protect low-income and marginal households, and ensure fair prices to farmers.

Broadcaster Jamuna TV said more than 2 million voters chose "Yes" while more than 850,000 said "No" in a referendum on constitutional reforms held alongside the election, but there was no official word on the outcome.

The changes include two-term limits for prime ​ministers and stronger judicial independence and women's representation while providing for neutral interim governments during election periods and setting up a second house of the ​300-seat parliament.