Political tensions in Bangladesh have intensified following the February 12 general election, after National Citizens Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam alleged that the poll outcome was influenced by a tacit understanding involving the victorious Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), India, and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. The accusations come in the wake of the NCP’s poor electoral performance and have added fresh controversy to an already polarised political landscape.
Nahid Islam first gained prominence during the anti-Sheikh Hasina protests of 2024 and later founded the NCP, which contested the election as part of a Jamaat-e-Islami-led Islamist alliance. The results proved disappointing for the new party. Out of the 297 parliamentary seats declared, the BNP secured 212 seats, achieving a two-thirds majority in the Jatiya Sangsad. Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats, while the NCP managed to win only six. The Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, was barred from participating in the election by the interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus.
Following the results, Nahid Islam alleged that despite the voting process appearing fair, the final outcome had been manipulated. Speaking at a press conference at the NCP’s temporary central office in Dhaka’s Banglamotors area, he claimed there was an implicit understanding between the BNP, India, and the Awami League that influenced political developments surrounding the election. He cited the reopening of Awami League offices in several areas as evidence suggesting cooperation between rival political forces.
Reports by Bangladeshi media outlets indicated that between February 13 and 18, Awami League activists and affiliated groups such as the Jubo League and Chhatra League reopened previously closed party offices and resumed political activities in districts including Noakhali, Panchgaon, Thakurgaon, and Chattogram. Nahid argued that such activities could not have occurred without approval from the new BNP-led government, claiming that the Awami League would not have regained organisational confidence without a “green signal” from those in power.
The allegations form part of broader claims by NCP and Jamaat leaders that electoral manipulation favoured the BNP, which is led by Tarique Rahman. Some opposition figures have used sharp rhetoric against the BNP leadership, reflecting growing friction within Bangladesh’s opposition space following the election outcome. Despite raising concerns about the results, Nahid said his party accepted them in the interest of democratic stability.
Alongside the allegations, Nahid Islam called on the BNP government to promptly convene Parliament and activate the Constitutional Reform Council. The February 12 vote also included a referendum on the July Charter, which granted Parliament the additional authority to function as a Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting constitutional reforms aimed at reducing concentrated executive power and strengthening democratic institutions after years of criticism of centralized governance under Sheikh Hasina.
While the NCP and Jamaat had earlier demanded that constitutional reforms precede elections, the BNP supported holding elections first. The Yunus-led interim administration ultimately conducted both the parliamentary polls and the referendum simultaneously. A political dispute emerged when BNP lawmakers abstained from taking the oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council during the swearing-in ceremony, whereas elected representatives from Jamaat and the NCP joined both Parliament and the council.
Responding to questions about a legal challenge filed in the High Court against the referendum, Nahid argued that overturning the referendum would undermine the legitimacy of both the parliamentary election and the current government. He maintained that constitutional reform remained essential to fulfilling public expectations created during the transition period.
The controversy highlights deep divisions in Bangladesh’s post-election political environment. While the BNP’s decisive victory has reshaped the country’s power structure, the NCP’s limited electoral success has been followed by allegations of external influence and political collusion, keeping debates over legitimacy, reform, and governance at the centre of Bangladesh’s evolving political discourse.
