Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim Hails BNP’s Landslide Victory in Bangladesh Elections

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 2026 : Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday warmly congratulated Tarique Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and the party leadership on their resounding victory in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Elections. Describing the outcome as a clear triumph of democracy, Anwar said the result reflected the Bangladeshi people’s decisive voice after a prolonged period marked by extraordinary political and social challenges.

In a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Anwar termed the election outcome a significant achievement for democratic values in the region. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on their impressive electoral victory. This is a victory for democracy. After enduring an extraordinary period of challenges, the people of Bangladesh have expressed their clear will through the ballot,” he said.

The Malaysian Prime Minister also lauded the role played by Bangladesh’s interim administration in facilitating a smooth democratic transition. He specifically acknowledged the leadership of Muhammad Yunus, who served as Chief Adviser during the transitional period. “I would also like to express my gratitude to my dear friend Dr. Muhammad Yunus, whose leadership as Chief Adviser during this critical phase helped ensure that the democratic process moved forward smoothly and credibly,” Anwar added.

Reiterating Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening ties with Dhaka, Anwar underlined his country’s eagerness to work closely with Bangladesh’s new leadership. He said Malaysia looked forward to injecting new momentum into bilateral relations, encompassing trade, investment, labour cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. “Malaysia stands ready to engage constructively with Bangladesh’s new leadership to revitalise and deepen our bilateral partnership. I convey my sincere sentiments to the people of Bangladesh as they embark on this new democratic chapter,” his message read.

Anwar’s remarks came amid a wave of international praise following the sweeping success of the BNP-led alliance in Thursday’s elections. The results were officially announced by the Bangladesh Election Commission, which declared outcomes for 297 parliamentary constituencies. According to the Commission, voting was largely peaceful, with high public participation reflecting renewed confidence in the electoral process.

As reported by Prothom Alo, results for the Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 constituencies have been temporarily suspended and will be announced at a later date. In addition, one constituency’s result had earlier been postponed. The Election Commission issued separate suspension notices on February 12 for Sherpur-2, Chattogram-2, and Chattogram-4 due to pending court cases. While the Sherpur-2 result has since been declared, publication of its official gazette notification has been put on hold until legal issues are resolved.

The parliamentary elections were held simultaneously with a nationwide referendum on proposed constitutional reforms outlined in the “July Charter.” According to official figures, voter turnout in the referendum segment stood at 60.26 per cent. Of the 297 constituencies where results were declared, a total of 48,074,429 voters cast ballots in favour of the proposed reforms, while 22,565,627 voted against them. These figures were shared by Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed during a media briefing at the Commission’s headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Friday.

The parliamentary outcome delivered a decisive mandate in favour of the BNP and its allies. Of the 297 declared seats, the BNP-led alliance secured an emphatic 212 seats, underscoring the scale of its victory. The 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami won 77 seats. Islami Andolon Bangladesh secured one seat, while independent candidates claimed seven seats.

A closer breakdown of the results indicates that the BNP alone won 209 seats independently, reflecting its dominant position in the new parliament. Jamaat-e-Islami emerged as the second-largest force with 68 seats, followed by the National Citizen Party (NCP) with six seats. Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis won two seats, while Khilafat Majlis, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Ganosamhati Andolon, and Gono Odhikar Parishad each secured one seat.

The overwhelming victory of the ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum has provided strong public backing for the implementation of proposed constitutional and state reforms outlined in the July Charter. Election Commission officials reiterated that the referendum result reflects broad-based popular support for structural changes aimed at strengthening governance and democratic accountability.

Addressing journalists again at the Agargaon Election Building, Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed reaffirmed the turnout and vote-share figures, stating that the Commission remains committed to transparency and due process in finalising pending results. With a new parliament set to take shape, Bangladesh now stands at a critical juncture, buoyed by a strong electoral mandate and growing international endorsement of its democratic transition.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)