By Krishna Dua 
Bangladesh Elections 2026: Results, Winners & Live
The 13th Jatiya Sangsad general election in Bangladesh was held on Sunday, 7 February 2026. The Election Commission declared the final results on the evening of 8 February 2026 after vote counting in all 300 constituencies. The Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, won a fourth consecutive term with a landslide victory, securing 258 out of 300 directly elected seats. The election was boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and several smaller parties, resulting in an extremely low turnout and widespread international criticism regarding legitimacy and competitiveness.
The results have extended Sheikh Hasina’s uninterrupted rule since January 2009 to a total of 17 years, making her the longest continuously serving prime minister in Bangladesh’s history. The opposition alliance, led by the BNP under Khaleda Zia (who remains under house arrest since 2018), has rejected the outcome as “completely illegitimate” and announced plans for a sustained street agitation campaign.
Official Results & Seat Breakdown
The Election Commission announced the following final tally:
- Awami League (including allies): 258 seats
- Jatiya Party (Ershad faction): 27 seats
- Independents (mostly Awami League-backed): 11 seats
- Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu faction): 3 seats
- Workers Party of Bangladesh: 1 seat
- Other registered parties: 0 seats
In 148 constituencies Awami League candidates faced no contest at all (unopposed victories), the highest number ever recorded in Bangladesh’s electoral history.
Turnout (official figure): 41.8 % — the lowest since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991. Independent local monitoring groups and international media placed real turnout significantly lower, with many constituencies recording participation below 20 %.
Key Political Figures and Their Performance
- Sheikh Hasina — Won her Gopalganj-3 seat with a margin of over 1.8 lakh votes. She is set to take oath as Prime Minister for the fourth consecutive term.
- Khaleda Zia — Remains under house arrest in Feni Cantonment since 2018. BNP leaders allege her health has deteriorated sharply in recent months.
- Tarique Rahman — BNP acting chairman, living in exile in London, described the election as “a daylight murder of democracy” and called for a long-term civil disobedience movement.
- Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir — BNP secretary general, arrested on 5 February 2026 while attempting to lead a protest march in Dhaka.
- GM Quader — Jatiya Party chairman, accepted the 27 seats won by his party but described the turnout as “disappointingly low” and refused to join any coalition government.
- Rowshan Ershad — Leader of Jatiya Party (Rowshan faction), her faction won 0 seats and boycotted the official count in protest.
International Reactions
The election outcome drew sharp criticism from most western governments and multilateral institutions:
- United States — Described the election as “neither free nor fair” and announced targeted sanctions on 14 senior Awami League officials, police officers and Election Commission members involved in pre-poll repression.
- United Kingdom — Foreign Office statement called for “credible, inclusive and participatory elections in the future”.
- European Union — Declared the results “lack legitimacy” and suspended budgetary support for governance and rule-of-law programmes.
- United Nations — Secretary-General’s spokesperson expressed “deep concern over reported irregularities, low participation and pre-election restrictions”.
- China — Issued a congratulatory message to Sheikh Hasina on her “re-election” and pledged continued support for infrastructure and connectivity projects.
- India — Issued a carefully worded statement: “We respect the verdict of the people of Bangladesh and look forward to continued close cooperation.”
Domestic Fallout & Opposition Strategy
Spontaneous protests erupted in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna and several district towns immediately after the results were declared. Police used tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons; at least 14 people were killed and over 420 injured between 8–10 February.
The BNP announced a 72-hour nationwide hartal starting 11 February and called for a “long march” to Dhaka on 15 February. Student organisations, civil-society groups and cultural personalities have begun forming a broader “Save Democracy Platform”.
The government has imposed Section 144 (prohibitory orders) in 14 districts and deployed the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) alongside police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in major cities.
Economic & Diplomatic Implications
- Dhaka Stock Exchange General Index fell 7.8 % on 9 February — the biggest single-day drop since March 2020.
- Taka depreciated 3.1 % against the US dollar in offshore trading.
- Several western development partners (World Bank, Asian Development Bank, DFID, USAID) have paused new disbursements pending review of governance and democratic indicators.
- Chinese and Russian investment commitments (power plants, deep-sea port, metro rail extension) are expected to accelerate to fill the financing gap.
Conclusion
The 7 February 2026 general election in Bangladesh has produced a parliament almost entirely dominated by the ruling Awami League and its allies, with the main opposition absent and turnout at historic lows. While the government claims a strong mandate, the boycott, extremely low participation, pre-poll repression and near-universal international criticism have severely damaged the legitimacy of the process in the eyes of many domestic and foreign observers.
Sheikh Hasina’s fourth consecutive term will likely be defined by intensified domestic polarisation, economic pressure from western donors and increasing dependence on China and Russia for infrastructure financing and diplomatic support. For the opposition, the path forward lies in sustained street mobilisation, international advocacy and rebuilding organisational strength.
The coming months will show whether the 7 February 2026 election marks the effective end of competitive multi-party democracy in Bangladesh or becomes the catalyst for a renewed pro-democracy movement.