'Felt like a festival': Bangladesh elects the new government in high-stakes polling

February 14, 2026

TL;DR

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies won a commanding majority in the national elections, securing 212 out of 300 seats.
The elections were held 18 months after former leader Sheikh Hasina was forced out of office, and were a key task for the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
Voting was largely peaceful with a 59.44% turnout, though isolated incidents of violence were reported, resulting in injuries and one candidate's death.
The participation of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party, which won 77 seats with its allies, was a notable feature of the election.
A referendum on the July Charter of 2025 package of reforms saw approximately 48 million votes in favor ('yes') and over 22 million against ('no').
The country has experienced turbulent law and order situations, with human rights organizations reporting numerous deaths and injuries in political violence since Hasina left office.
The elections were closely watched internationally, with implications for Bangladesh's relationships with India, the US, and China, particularly concerning defense systems and trade deals.
The US has expressed concerns about China's expanding presence and offered defense systems as alternatives to Chinese hardware.
A trade deal was signed with the US just before the elections, which includes commitments on defense and energy purchases and restrictions on nuclear cooperation with certain countries.

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