BNP secures absolute majority with 209 seats as Bangladesh heads for new government post-Awami era

Dhaka [Bangladesh], February 13 (ANI): Bangladesh's Election Commission has declared the official results for 297 constituencies in the 13th National Parliament election, as reported by Prothom Alo on Friday.
Announcements for the Chittagong-2 and Chittagong-4 constituencies have been deferred and will be made at a later stage, while the result of another constituency was postponed earlier.
EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed provided these details during his concluding remarks at the Election Commission Secretariat in Agargaon today, outlining the status of the declared and pending seats.
Of the 297 announced seats, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies won 212.
The 11-party electoral alliance headed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami secured 77 seats. Islami Andolan Bangladesh took one seat, and independent candidates claimed seven seats.
According to Prothom Alo, the party-wise breakdown shows that the BNP won 209 seats independently.
Jamaat-e-Islami obtained 68 seats, Jatiya Nagorik Party six, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis two, Khelafat Majlis one, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP one, Gana Sanghati Andolon one, and Gana Adhikar Parishad one seat.
These figures position BNP to form the next government with a clear absolute majority in parliament.
The Awami League, barred from political activity, did not participate in the polls, leading to a major shift in the nation's political dynamics after nearly two decades.
Voter turnout stood at 60.26 per cent in this election, with 48 million 74 thousand 429 "yes" votes and 22 million 25 thousand 627 "no" votes cast, according to Prothom Alo.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed shared the turnout and voting figures during a media briefing at the Elections Building in Agargaon, the capital, today.
Prothom Alo further noted that the strong showing by BNP reflects a significant shift following the exclusion of the Awami League and the electorate's response to the contest between major forces.
With the results now official for most seats, the stage is set for BNP to assume governance responsibilities in this landmark post-uprising election. (ANI)