Web Desk: Polling for Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary elections concluded on Sunday, with vote counting now underway across the country. These elections come 18 months after a student-led movement ended Sheikh Hasina’s two-decade-long rule, setting the stage for a tightly contested political battle.
The main contest is expected between alliances led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, both vying for a majority in the 300-seat Jatiya Sangsad. While unofficial results in previous elections often emerged the next morning, election officials caution that counting this year may take longer due to the inclusion of white parliamentary ballots and pink ballots for a national charter referendum, along with a higher number of political parties and candidates.
Voting took place across 42,761 polling stations in 64 districts, covering 299 of the country’s 300 constituencies. Fifty seats are reserved for women, distributed on a proportional representation basis.
According to the final voter list released by the Bangladesh Election Commission in November 2025, there are 127.7 million registered voters, including 64.8 million men and 62.8 million women. For the first time, a postal voting facility was introduced, allowing approximately 15 million overseas workers to participate in the elections.
Bangladesh’s unicameral parliament, the Jatiya Sangsad, comprises a total of 350 members, of which 300 are directly elected and 50 reserved for women. Election authorities emphasize that the process is being conducted under strict supervision to ensure transparency and credibility amid heightened political tensions.
Observers note that these elections are a critical test for Bangladesh’s democratic institutions, with international and domestic attention focused on voter turnout, electoral fairness, and the peaceful transfer of power.
