Bangladesh votes today, February 12, in its 13th parliamentary election along with a nationwide constitutional referendum. More than 12.77 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots. This is the first general election since the 2024 uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government and the dissolution of Parliament.
Vote counting and results
Polling is being held from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM at more than 42,000 booths across the country. Security forces have been deployed nationwide to ensure peaceful voting.
Counting will begin immediately after polling ends. Official results are expected on February 13. The outcome will decide both the new Parliament and the fate of the constitutional referendum.
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Majority mark in the Bangladesh Parliament
The Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh's Parliament, has 350 seats with a five-year term. Of these, 300 members are directly elected by voters. The remaining 50 seats are reserved for women and allocated to parties based on their performance.
To form the government, a party or alliance must win at least 151 of the 300 directly elected seats.
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Main alliances and key battles
The main contest is between two blocs. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, heads a 10-party alliance. Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (JIB), led by Shafiqur Rahman, leads an 11-party alliance that includes the National Citizen Party, formed after the July protests.
Other players include Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the Jatiya Party led by GM Quader, which heads the National Democratic Front. The Democratic United Front, led by Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandan, includes left parties.
Seat-sharing arrangements place BNP candidates in 288 seats and the JIB-led alliance in 298. Among key contests, Tarique Rahman is contesting from Dhaka-17, while Shafiqur Rahman is in the fray from Dhaka-15. Dhaka-12 has the highest number of candidates, and Ghazipur-2 has the largest voter base.
