13th Parliamentary Election: 42 parties fail to secure seat

Staff Reporter :

A total of 50 political parties contested the 13th National Parliamentary Election, but 42 of them failed to win a single seat in the new Jatiya Sangsad, according to the Election Commission.

The country has 59 registered political parties, the Election Commission said, though not all took part in the polls.
The much-anticipated election was held nationwide in what officials described as a festive atmosphere.

Voting took place from 7:30am to 4:30pm across 299 of the 300 constituencies. Polling in one constituency was postponed earlier due to the death of a candidate. For the first time in the country’s history, a referendum was held alongside the general election.

Although voting was conducted in 299 seats, results have so far been declared for 297 constituencies. Of those announced, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured 209 seats, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami won 68. The National Citizen Party (NCP) obtained six seats.

In addition, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Ganosamhati Andolon and Khelafat Majlish each won one seat, while Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish secured two seats. Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed the figures. He said gazette notifications for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 would not be issued for now due to court injunctions. Meanwhile, polling in Sherpur-3 will be held at a later date following the death of a candidate.

An analysis of the results shows that of the 50 parties that participated, only nine managed to secure representation in Parliament. The remaining 42 parties drew a blank, despite many fielding candidates in more than a hundred constituencies.

Political analysts said the outcome reflects a strong polarisation around major parties, coalition-based electoral strategies and tactical voting by the electorate.

Smaller and newer parties struggled to gain traction in a contest largely dominated by larger political forces.

As a result, the 13th Jatiya Sangsad will comprise members from nine political parties along with several independent lawmakers, while for 42 parties the election marks a chapter of disappointment.