Ershad’s Jatiya Party (Japa) has faced a complete political collapse in Bangladesh’s latest national election held on February 12, 2026. Once dominant in the Rangpur region, the party fielded candidates in 200 constituencies across the country but failed to win a single seat. In Rangpur Division, where it contested 30 of 33 seats, Japa lost all to the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) secured two seats. The results mark the end of Japa’s four-decade-long political presence.

The report attributes Japa’s downfall to its long-standing alliance with the Awami League and its perceived closeness to India. Party chairman GM Quader, who previously acknowledged discussions with Indian officials, claimed that the Awami League had “blackmailed” Japa into joining the election. However, voters rejected the party, and all its candidates forfeited their deposits. Internal divisions among factions led by GM Quader, Raushan Ershad, and Anisul Islam Mahmud further weakened the organization.

The collapse of Japa, once a major political force in northern Bangladesh, signals a major realignment in the country’s opposition landscape, with Islamist and new parties gaining ground in its former strongholds.