By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Bangladesh on Thursday voted in the 13th Parliamentary elections with the initial results showed Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance pulled ahead with 212 seats in early.
As per constituency updates, seat tally and major developments from the counting centres the Awami League absent from the polls.
The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance stands at 70 seats for now.
Independents and smaller parties have picked up around 6.
The Election Commission has not officially announced the results yet. But the numbers coming in clearly show the BNP alliance in front.
The BNP alliance seems to have done enough to form the next government.
The latest unofficial figures showed the BNP-led alliance ahead in 212 constituencies.
Formal confirmation is still awaited as the Election Commission has not yet announced the final, official result.
The Jamaat-e-Islami-led bloc has secured 70 constituencies so far. Counting is still underway in a few remaining centres.
Independent candidates and other parties have managed to win 6 constituencies at this stage.
The number may change slightly once the remaining votes are tallied.
Tarique Rahman of BNP has been unofficially declared elected from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency.
The officials confirmed that counting has been completed in 150 out of 151 polling centres there.
The Bangladesh Election Commission is expected to formally announce the results later on Friday.
Rahman described the outcome as heading toward a “historic victory.” Senior party leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also congratulated voters and party workers.
Rahman urged supporters to avoid celebrations, cited respect for his late mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
He called for prayers after Friday congregational prayers instead.
Media reported rigging, cash distribution and violent incidents surfaced from parts of the country during Thursday’s voting.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Zainal Abedin, was detained and fined 3,000 Bangladeshi Taka for allegedly distributied cash during voting.
The fine was imposed by a mobile court magistrate.
Media reported violence was reported at several polling stations.
In Khulna, a BNP leader died after tensions escalated between party supporters at a polling centre.
