Dhaka: With vote counting under way in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections, support for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) appears to be strengthening.

Bangladeshi freedom fighter T M Rezaul Karin told ANI that the BNP was popular across the nation and that the mood on polling day had been festive. He said that, despite a few isolated incidents, the elections were largely peaceful and that people from all religions had participated.

He added: “The people will support BNP. It’s a very popular party in Bangladesh. With Tarique Rahman’s dynamic leadership, the BNP got a landslide victory. Our expectation is that the country will move peacefully and democratically. After a long time, the Bangladeshi people exercised their voting rights in Bangladesh. People actually were in a festive mood, and they cast their vote according to their choice. People enjoyed this election and exercised their voting right, especially according to their choice.”

Karin emphasised unity across communities, saying: “All the people were voting, they have exercised their voting right, and there is no question of Hindus or Muslims or Buddhists or Christians. All the Bangladeshis, in 1971, were liberated from Pakistan to Bangladesh. Everybody, all the communities fought against the bloody Pakistani armies.”

Retired government official Mazharul Islam told ANI that the BNP should provide opportunities for the country’s marginalised people, saying: “They (BNP) should give the greatest opportunity in the country. This is the expectation of the people of Bangladesh. I hope the party gives the best facilities, especially to the marginalised people of the country, then in the long run, BNP will go ahead in future.”

Islam added that he expects stability to return to Bangladesh, and said the party needs to be strong initially to restore discipline within government institutions. “BNP will have to be very strong in the first period- to maintain, stabilise the country with discipline, honesty. They will have to restore discipline in the administration and many other organs of the country. If they do so, the stability will come very soon. Nobody wants any instability in our country.”

Local media reports indicate that the BNP is on course for a historic victory. According to The Daily Star, vote counting has been completed in 237 constituencies, with 62 still pending. Of the 299 seats, the BNP and its allies have secured 177, while the Jamaat and allies have won 53.

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Earlier on Friday, the BNP said it was set to form the government as counting continued. In a post on X, the BNP media cell said: “The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP is set to form the government after winning the majority of seats.”

Despite these preliminary results, the counting process is still ongoing and official results have yet to be declared. The figures suggest a significant shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape.

The BNP’s chairman, Tarique Rahman, has called for celebrations to be postponed out of respect for the passing of his mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, before the election. He has requested prayers for her after Friday congregational prayers.

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Rahman has been unofficially declared elected from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency, winning decisively against his nearest rival, according to the Daily Star. Results from 150 polling centres were completed, with one centre remaining, the office of the District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Md Taufiqur Rahman said.

The election is being viewed as a pivotal moment for Bangladesh as it seeks to move beyond the long-running “Battle of Begums” era, following the death of Khaleda Zia and the ban on the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina.