 secured a sweeping victory){kind=link}
Exiled leader returns to power as Bangladesh enters new political phase
February 14, 2026: Tarique Rahman on Saturday called for national unity after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a sweeping victory in Bangladesh’s 13th national elections. Widely seen as the prime minister-in-waiting, Rahman dedicated the win to those who “sacrificed for democracy,” describing the result as the restoration of public mandate after years of political turbulence. The BNP won 209 seats in the February 12 polls, comfortably crossing the majority mark. Rahman, who recently returned from nearly 17 years in exile, was elected from Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6, sealing a dramatic political comeback.
Addressing a press conference, Rahman said the verdict signalled the revival of an accountable parliamentary system rooted in popular will. He urged citizens to remain united to safeguard sovereignty and prevent any return to authoritarian rule. The elections were held following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina during the student-led uprising of July 2024. Her party, the Awami League, was barred from contesting the polls, reshaping the country’s political landscape.
Rahman’s return to Dhaka in December 2025 marked a turning point for the BNP, coming shortly before the death of his mother and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. If sworn in, Rahman will become Bangladesh’s first male prime minister since 1991. Alongside the transition, the country is expected to advance constitutional reforms under the July National Charter, which received strong backing in a referendum held alongside the general elections.