A center-right party coasted to a landslide win in Bangladesh’s first election since a Gen Z-led uprising ousted the country’s former leader in 2024.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party had languished in the opposition for much of the last decade; its leader, Tarique Rahman, went into exile in 2008 following corruption allegations.
His return marks a turning point in Dhaka, with analysts saying that Rahman has a mandate to restore political and economic stability.
The BNP’s new foreign policy approach could also lead to a reset of ties between Bangladesh and India; the fall of the prior pro-Indian government in Dhaka had strained relations.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reportedly invited to Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony.