The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reclaimed the Barishal-3 (Muladi–Babuganj) parliamentary seat after nearly 25 years. Party candidate Advocate Zainul Abedin, contesting with the paddy sheaf symbol, secured 80,930 votes to win the election. His closest rival, Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad of the 11-party alliance and general secretary of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, received 61,192 votes, giving the BNP candidate a victory margin of 19,738 votes. The result was officially confirmed early Thursday night by Barishal’s Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Khairul Alam Suman.

According to the district administration, Barishal-3 had 332,097 registered voters, of whom 177,716 cast ballots. Other candidates included Muhammad Sirajul Islam of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, who received 16,325 votes, and Golam Kibria Tipu of the Jatiya Party, who gained 14,184 votes. BNP last held the seat in 2001 through Mosharraf Hossain Mongu, losing it in 2008 to the Jatiya Party. The party did not contest in 2014 and failed again in 2018.

Following his victory, Zainul Abedin thanked voters for their trust and pledged to work with honesty and dedication for the development of Babuganj and Muladi. Observers described the win as a symbolic resurgence for BNP in the southern region.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman held his first press conference following the party’s decisive victory in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election. The event took place on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. in the ballroom of Hotel Intercontinental, marking his first formal media appearance since returning to the country.

Rahman had spent about fifteen years in exile in the United Kingdom before returning to Bangladesh with his family on December 25. Although he had attended several political events since his return, he had not previously organized a press conference. His appearance now comes at a time when the BNP is consolidating its position after the election.

The press conference signifies Rahman’s reemergence in active political leadership following years abroad, coinciding with the BNP’s renewed prominence in national politics.

The liaison committee of the eleven-party alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami, is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Saturday evening at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka. The meeting aims to review the post-national election situation and determine next steps. Labor Party Chairman Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran confirmed the meeting. The decision follows a Friday night meeting chaired by Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, where alliance leaders discussed the results of the 12 February 13th National Parliamentary Election and related developments.

According to Jamaat’s central publicity department, the earlier meeting addressed alleged irregularities such as vote manipulation, obstruction of polling agents, and attacks on alliance supporters and voters. Leaders condemned what they described as fascist activities, including arson attacks, and demanded an immediate end to such incidents. They also agreed to take tougher measures if the situation persists.

The alliance reaffirmed its commitment to promoting healthy politics, protecting women’s rights and safety, and standing with the general public. Leaders emphasized that their pre-election promises would continue and called for an end to all wrongdoing across the country.

The European Union Election Observation Mission has described Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election as competitive, stating that the Election Commission acted independently and impartially. The mission presented its preliminary report at a press conference on Saturday, noting that the election marked a new step in restoring citizens’ voting rights and strengthening democratic practice in the country.

However, the observers raised concerns about the low participation of women, pointing out that only 4 percent of candidates were female, which they said contradicted political commitments to gender inclusion. Chief observer Ivars Ijabs also urged greater efforts to ensure the security and voting rights of minority communities. Despite some election-related conflicts, mission head Tomas Zdechovsky said the overall environment remained peaceful.

The EU team is continuing to monitor the post-election situation and plans to release a full report within two months, including recommendations for future improvements. They expressed hope that the new government would work to protect the rights and safety of all citizens and increase women’s participation in the electoral process.

In the Barishal-6 (Bakerganj) constituency election, three candidates from Gano Odhikar Parishad, Bangladesh Muslim League, and an independent contender lost their deposits. According to official results, Gano Odhikar Parishad’s Salauddin Mia received 137 votes, Bangladesh Muslim League’s Mufti Abdul Quddus got 238 votes, and independent candidate Kamrul Islam Khan secured 344 votes.

The seat was won by BNP’s candidate and district convenor Abul Hossain Khan, who ran under the ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol and obtained 81,087 votes. His closest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Maulana Mahamudunnabi Talukdar, received 55,533 votes, giving the BNP candidate a victory margin of 26,500 votes. The district returning officer’s office reported that the constituency comprises 113 polling centers.

Bakerganj upazila, which includes one municipality and 14 unions, has a total of 315,597 registered voters, including 160,055 men, 155,538 women, and four transgender voters.

In the Faridpur-2 constituency, covering Saltha and Nagarkanda, BNP central organizing secretary Shama Obaid Islam Rinku won the election with 1,221,694 votes, according to results published on February 14, 2026. Her nearest rival, Shah Md. Akram Ali of the 11-party alliance with the rickshaw symbol, received 89,305 votes. A total of six candidates contested the seat.

Under Bangladesh’s election law, a candidate must secure at least one-eighth, or 12.5 percent, of total valid votes to retain their deposit. In this constituency, that threshold was 26,865 votes. However, four candidates failed to meet the requirement and will forfeit their deposits. Akramuzzaman of Insoniyat Biplob Bangladesh (apple) received 617 votes, Faruk Fakir of Gono Odhikar Parishad (truck) 675 votes, Md. Nazmul Hasan of Bangladesh Congress (coconut) 257 votes, and Shah Md. Jamal Uddin of Islami Andolon Bangladesh (hand fan) 2,368 votes.

Out of 218,831 total votes cast, 3,915 were invalid, leaving 214,916 valid votes. Many candidates reportedly received zero votes in several of the 117 polling centers.

Newly elected members of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament are expected to take their oath of office by February 16 or 17, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. He made the announcement on Saturday morning during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, adding that details on who will administer the oath will be disclosed later.

The Election Commission has already published the official gazette of the referendum results and the list of newly elected MPs. Late on Friday night, results for 297 out of 300 constituencies were officially released. Results for two constituencies in Chattogram will be announced later as per court directives, while the Sherpur-3 constituency election was postponed earlier due to the death of a Jamaat candidate.

Voting for the 13th parliamentary election and a national referendum took place across the country on Thursday in a festive atmosphere, with polling held simultaneously at 42,779 centers from 7:30 a.m.

Supporters of the defeated candidate Emdadul Haque Bhorsa, who contested under the paddy sheaf symbol in Rangpur-4 (Kaunia–Pirgacha), staged protests demanding a recount of votes. On Saturday, after Bhorsa submitted a written complaint to the district administration and spoke to journalists, his supporters and party activists organized demonstrations rejecting the announced results. Protests and road blockades were reported in Haragach, Kaunia, and Pirgacha, with some incidents of burning tires on roads.

From Saturday morning, demonstrators in Haragach municipality held broom and shoe processions while chanting slogans against National Citizens Party member secretary Akhtar Hossain. Protesters claimed irregularities in vote counting and alleged that the declared results did not reflect the true outcome. They argued that without “election engineering,” their candidate would have won by a large margin and urged authorities to publish the genuine results through a recount.

As tensions escalated, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) forces were deployed to restore order. Law enforcement agencies attempted to bring the situation under control, while no immediate comments were available from relevant officials.

Bangladesh has officially published the gazette containing the results of the national referendum and the list of newly elected members of the 13th National Parliament. The gazette was released late on Friday night. According to the published data, 48,206,660 people voted 'yes' in the referendum, while 22,071,726 voted 'no'. A total of 7,422,637 ballot papers were declared invalid.

Sources from the Chief Adviser’s Office indicated that the government has decided the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) will administer the oath to the newly elected members of parliament. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place on either Monday or Tuesday. On the same day, the new prime minister and cabinet members are also likely to take their oaths.

The publication of the gazette marks a key procedural step following the 13th parliamentary election and the national referendum, paving the way for the formation of the new government.

In Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the winning party, while Jamaat-e-Islami is set to occupy the opposition benches. However, BNP lost several constituencies because of internal rebellion and independent candidacies. At least 79 BNP leaders contested as independents or rebel candidates after being denied party nominations, leading to vote splits that benefited Jamaat’s alliance. The Election Commission published the official gazette of results for 297 out of 300 constituencies on February 13, 2026, following nationwide voting held on February 12.

Notable rebel winners include Rumin Farhana in Brahmanbaria-2, A.Z.M. Rezwanul Haque in Dinajpur-5, Mohammad Salman Omar in Mymensingh-1, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal in Kishoreganj-5, Atikul Alam in Comilla-7, and several others. Each of these candidates was expelled from BNP after running independently. Meanwhile, Jamaat’s allied parties, including the National Citizen Party and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, secured multiple seats through seat-sharing arrangements.

The results indicate that internal divisions within BNP weakened its overall performance, allowing Jamaat’s coalition partners to gain ground in several key constituencies.

Sayem Uddin, known as the 'July Fighter' from Feni, was assaulted on Friday night by individuals described as BNP-linked attackers. The incident occurred at Korbanpur Road intersection in Sindurpur Union of Daganbhuiyan upazila. Sayem, a Fazil student at Al-Jameatul Malahia Kamil Madrasa, was beaten by four to five assailants who left him injured at the scene. He was later rescued by Abdullah Al Zobayer, ambassador of NCP’s Feni-3 constituency, and taken to Feni General Hospital for treatment.

Sayem gained national attention on August 4, 2024, for resisting armed attackers during a student-public movement in Feni’s Mohipal area. Following the latest attack, local leaders from Jamaat and Shibir visited him at the hospital and demanded the arrest of the perpetrators. Feni General Hospital authorities confirmed that Sayem is receiving adequate medical care.

District BNP’s member secretary Alal Uddin Alal said the party would investigate the matter and requested police action against anyone involved in violence. Police confirmed receiving the complaint and said legal steps would follow.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman announced that his party has accepted the results of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election and will function as a responsible opposition. He made the statement in a verified Facebook post at 1:44 a.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026. Rahman emphasized that Jamaat’s movement was never about a single election but about strengthening democratic culture, protecting citizens’ rights, and building a just and accountable state. He pledged that the party would play a principled, peaceful, and constructive role in parliament.

In his message, Rahman expressed gratitude to volunteers and supporters who worked tirelessly during the election period, noting that many faced intimidation and harassment while exercising democratic rights. He said their courage had strengthened democracy. Addressing party members, he acknowledged disappointment over the results but highlighted that Jamaat’s parliamentary presence had nearly quadrupled to 77 seats, marking its emergence as a stronger opposition force in modern Bangladeshi politics.

Rahman also reflected on the changing nature of politics, citing past examples to stress patience and responsibility in democratic progress.

Khelafat Majlis, a key ally of the Jamaat coalition, faced major setbacks in the recent elections in Habiganj. Party Amir Maulana Abdul Basit Azad lost to BNP candidate Dr. Jibon in the Habiganj-2 (Baniachong-Ajmiriganj) constituency. Azad received 65,762 votes, while Dr. Jibon secured 126,583 votes. Both candidates are residents of Baniachong upazila.

Similarly, Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Abdul Kader was defeated in the Habiganj-4 (Madhabpur-Chunarughat) constituency. He obtained only 26,465 votes, whereas BNP’s Syed Md. Foysal won with 188,072 votes. Both Kader and Foysal are from Madhabpur upazila.

The results mark a significant electoral loss for Khelafat Majlis leadership within the Jamaat alliance, as both top leaders failed to secure their constituencies against BNP contenders.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, the Jamaat candidate for the Sunamganj-2 (Dirai-Shalla) constituency, congratulated BNP’s Nasir Chowdhury with flowers after losing the election. On Thursday night, Monir posted a message with red roses on Facebook, and on Friday afternoon he personally visited Chowdhury’s residence to offer flowers. The gesture quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread attention.

Local residents of the Haor region viewed Monir’s act positively, appreciating his demonstration of respect and sportsmanship. Dirai-Shalla’s chief election agent Rezaul Islam said politics should be based on mutual respect and love, not hostility, and praised Monir for keeping his promise to congratulate the winner in person. Monir expressed gratitude to his supporters, noting he received 63,000 votes and reaffirmed his commitment to continue working for the development of the Haor area.

Monir stated that he aims to bring qualitative change to national politics by promoting harmony and constructive engagement, pledging to contribute to local development even without official government support.

Dr. Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, has called for unified implementation of the referendum verdict following a decisive 'Yes' victory. He made the statement on Saturday at a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, where he discussed the results of the referendum held on February 12. Riaz, who coordinated the public awareness campaign for the referendum based on the July National Charter, said that voter turnout exceeded that of the national parliamentary election by more than one percent.

According to the Election Commission, 77,695,023 voters participated in the referendum, representing 60.84 percent of eligible voters. Among them, 48,206,660 voted 'Yes', accounting for 68.06 percent of the total votes cast, while 22,071,726 voted 'No', or about 31 percent. Riaz emphasized that the strong voter participation and majority support demonstrated the public’s clear stance on the issue.

The official gazette of the referendum results has been published, and newly elected members of parliament are scheduled to take oath by February 17.