Bangladesh: BNP closes exile, leads unofficial poll results

Dhaka [Bangladesh], February 13 (ANI): Unofficial results on Friday show Tarique Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in a strong lead as Bangladesh continues to count votes after its landmark election on Thursday.
Rahman has been unofficially declared elected from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency after securing a decisive victory over his nearest rival, as per Daily Star.
According to results announced by the office of the District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Md Taufiqur Rahman, tallies from 150 polling centres have been completed. The constituency has a total of 151 voting centres, including postal ballots.
Official results have not yet been delivered by the Bangladesh Election Commission, which is expected to issue its announcement on Friday.
Shafiqur Rahman, head of Jamaat-e-Islami, said his party will respect the results of the election, whatever they may be, and that it will not engage in obstructive "politics of opposition" should it lose.
Parliament comprises 350 lawmakers, 300 of whom are elected directly from single-member constituencies, while an additional 50 seats are reserved for women, as per Al Jazeera. Elections were held for 299 seats due to the death of one candidate.
A referendum was also held on political reforms, including prime ministerial term limits, stronger checks on executive power, and other safeguards to prevent parliamentary power consolidation, as per Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque, who is the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance-backed candidate, has alleged irregularities in the ballot counting process in Dhaka-13, claiming that a flawed ballot design led to the cancellation of thousands of votes cast in his favour, as per Al Jazeera.
Bangladesh ushered in its most pivotal polls as it seeks to enter into a new chapter from the classic 'Battle of Begums' era on Thursday. This election feels heavy after the demise of Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the ban on her nemesis, Sheikh Hasina's party, the Awami League. (ANI)