Amidst the current political situation in Bangladesh, the announcement of elections is considered very important for the entire South Asia. Even before the 13th general elections to be held on February 12, there are clear indications that the country’s politics is moving towards a major change. Amidst the cold and dense fog, the political temperature of Bangladesh is continuously increasing and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) seems to be getting the maximum benefit from it.

Recently, a big opinion poll conducted by Eminence Associates for Social Development has revealed surprising results. In this survey, opinions of more than 20 thousand voters from all 300 parliamentary constituencies of the country were taken. According to the survey, about 70 percent people are in the mood to vote in favor of BNP, which is considered a big lead for the party. In comparison, Jamaat-e-Islami has got 19 percent support.

Relief news for Tariq Rehman

This opinion poll is no less than a big good news for BNP acting leader Tariq Rehman. The party is now preparing to formally make him the national president soon. BNP General Secretary Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, while talking to the media in Sylhet, has indicated that this decision can be taken in a day or two.

Election campaign can start from Sylhet

According to party sources, Tariq Rehman may start his election campaign from Sylhet. This is the same area from where late leader Khaleda Zia used to start her election campaigns. BNP is considering this step as very important emotionally and politically and is linking it to the heritage of the party.

Party formed from student movement did not get support

Another important thing has emerged in the results of the survey. The National Citizens Party (NCP), which emerged from the student movement against the Sheikh Hasina government in August last year, has received only 2.6 percent support. This makes it clear that the strength seen on the streets does not necessarily translate into electoral support.

Big dent in Awami League’s vote bank

The most surprising aspect of the opinion poll is that about 60 percent of the old supporters of Awami League now want to vote for BNP, while more than 20 percent of the voters seem to be leaning towards Jamaat-e-Islami.

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Before the general elections in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has suffered a major setback. The country’s former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday morning (December 30, 2025). At the same time, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi expressed deep sorrow over his demise and expressed condolences to his family, supporters and the people of Bangladesh.

Rahul posted on social media

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a post on social media platform X expressing grief. He said, ‘I am saddened by the demise of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. During his long career in public life, he played an important role in the political journey of Bangladesh. My heartfelt condolences to his family, supporters and people of Bangladesh.

Saddened by the passing of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia. Over her long career in public life, she played a significant role in Bangladesh’s political journey.

My heartfelt condolences to her family, supporters, and the people of Bangladesh.

—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 30, 2025

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed grief

At the same time, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed grief over the demise of Khaleda Zia. He wrote in his X post, ‘On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I express my deep condolences on the demise of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia. In his long public career, he played a key role in shaping the political journey of the country. I express my heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Bangladesh.

Saddened by the passing of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia. Over her long career in public life, she played a significant role in Bangladesh’s political journey.

My heartfelt condolences to her family, supporters, and the people of Bangladesh.

—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 30, 2025

Khaleda Zia died in hospital

According to the information given by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Zia died at around 6 am on Tuesday morning. He breathed his last at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where he was undergoing treatment for more than a month. The party’s statement said that he died immediately after Fajr prayers. As soon as the news of Khaleda Zia’s demise came out, a wave of mourning ran in the country’s politics.

Khaleda Zia was suffering from heart and lung related problems

It was told that on November 23, he was admitted to a private hospital due to serious problems related to heart and lungs. After this his health continued to fluctuate. According to Bangladeshi media reports, she was also suffering from pneumonia in her last days and remained under the strict observation of doctors for about 36 days. During this time his condition remained critical.

The team of doctors had advised not to travel abroad

For the last few years, Khaleda Zia was suffering from many chronic diseases. A special medical team was formed for his treatment, which included doctors from Bangladesh as well as Britain, America, China and Australia. This month there was also discussion about taking him abroad for better treatment, but this plan was canceled after the advice of doctors. Doctors said that her condition was so weak that she was not in a position to travel internationally.

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Gobinda Chandra Pramanik: Amidst the continuous atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh, a Hindu leader Gobind Chandra Pramanik is trying to win the public trust from the parliamentary seat of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the upcoming national elections.

General Secretary of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote and senior advocate Gobind Chandra Pramanik is preparing to file nomination as an independent candidate from Gopalganj 3 (Kotalipada-Tungipada) seat in the elections to be held on February 12.

Nomination will be done on 28th December

According to the report of The Daily Star, he will file his nomination papers on December 28. Gobind Chandra Pramanik says that neither he has any connection with any political party nor has he ever been active in party politics. He said, “MPs elected from political parties are often unable to raise the problems of common people due to party discipline. I want to break this limitation and become the voice of the people.”

Other candidates for Hasina’s seat
Other prominent candidates for Hasina’s seat include BNP’s SM Jilani, National Citizen Party (NCP)’s Ariful Dariya, Jamaat-e-Islami’s MM Rezaul Karim, Gana Adhikar Parishad’s Abul Bashar, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Maroof Sheikh, National People’s Party’s Sheikh Salauddin, Khilafat Majlis’s Oli Ahmed, and independent candidates Mohammad Habibur Rahman and Mohammad Anwar Hussain.

Increase in violence against minorities

After the departure of Sheikh Hasina last year, there was a power vacuum in Bangladesh, which radical groups took advantage of. This was followed by a surge in violence against minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindu, Christian, Sufi and Ahmadiyya Muslim communities. These groups sought to justify attacks on minorities by exploiting rising anti-India sentiment and pushing a radical Islamic agenda under the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus. At a meeting organized by the Minority Unity Front outside Dhaka’s Jatiya Press Club, minority leaders said inadequate investigation and lack of justice had created an atmosphere of fear and distrust in the country.

Tariq Rahman: In a major development in Bangladesh politics, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Begum Khaleda Zia’s son Tariq Rahman has returned home after a long gap of nearly 17 years. After the return of Tariq Rehman, tremendous enthusiasm is being seen among BNP supporters and it is being seen as a decisive turning point in the country’s politics.

Tariq Rahman’s return to his country has come at a time when Bangladesh is going through a period of serious political instability. Violent movements are going on in different parts of the country, while fundamentalist forces like Jamaat-e-Islami are expanding their influence.

Why is Tariq Rehman’s return important for India?

Tariq Rehman’s return has special significance for Delhi. Awami League, which is considered Pro India, is banned from contesting elections and Khaleda Zia is admitted in the hospital. At such a time, Bangladesh is standing at a crossroads, where during the tenure of interim government head Mohammad Yunus, radical Islamic elements are active and anti-India rhetoric has increased. The biggest concern for India is about Jamaat-e-Islami, which is considered a supporter of Pakistan’s ISI. Jamaat, which was banned during the Sheikh Hasina government, has again made a place in politics after the change of power last year.

Electoral equation and increasing power of Jamaat

According to recent opinion polls, BNP is likely to win the most seats in the elections, but its former ally Jamaat-e-Islami is giving it a tough competition. India’s concern has also increased because the student wing of Jamaat has registered an unexpected victory in the student union elections of Dhaka University.

Why is this a positive sign for India?

India views the BNP as a relatively liberal and democratic alternative, even though relations between the two have historically been strained. New Delhi hopes that the return of Tariq Rehman will bring new energy to the party workers and BNP can form the next government. During Sheikh Hasina’s rule, Bangladesh maintained close relations with India and maintained a balanced distance from China and Pakistan. During the Yunus government, closeness with Pakistan has increased and distance with India has been seen. India hopes that there will be a change in its foreign policy if BNP comes to power. On December 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly expressed concern about Khaleda Zia’s health and offered India’s support. The BNP expressed gratitude in response, which was seen as a rare positive gesture amid years of strained relations.

Distance from Yunus government and Jamaat

Tariq Rehman has expressed differences with the Yunus government and raised questions on the long-term foreign policy decisions of the interim government. He has criticized Jamaat-e-Islami and refused alliance with it in the elections. Earlier this year, London-based Tariq Rahman had called for a ‘Bangladesh First’ foreign policy, inspired by former US President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ slogan. He had said, ‘Neither Delhi, nor Pindi, Bangladesh first’, from which it is clear that BNP will adopt the policy of getting closer to neither Rawalpindi nor Delhi.

Tariq Rehman’s homecoming

Tariq Rahman’s arrival in Dhaka was grand. It was claimed that about 50 lakh BNP workers participated in the road show taken out from the airport to his residence. Tariq Rehman is likely to contest from Bogura 6 (Sadar) seat, while party chief Khaleda Zia will contest from her stronghold Bogura 7 (Gabatali Shajahanpur). According to sources, fundamentalist elements are not happy with this show of strength and there is a possibility of a clash between BNP and Jamaat before the elections. The government had made the highest level security arrangements on Thursday. According to local media, around 3 lakh supporters reached the capital on 10 special trains, which the BNP described as a ‘historic crowd’.

Who is Tariq Rehman

Tariq Rehman is the son of former President Ziaur Rehman and has been living in London since 2008. During the Sheikh Hasina regime, he was convicted in several cases, which the BNP described as a political conspiracy. In 2007, he was arrested in a corruption case and there were allegations of serious health problems and torture during detention. In 2008, he got bail and was allowed to go to London for treatment, since then he has been living there.

He was also sentenced in absentia in the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack case. 24 people were killed in this attack, while Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped. In a 2008 Dhaka Tribune series of reports exposing corruption during the BNP regime of 2001–06, he was described as the ‘Dark Prince’. However, in the last one year, the courts have acquitted him in all major cases.

Uncertainty and political turmoil are increasing in Bangladesh ahead of next year’s elections. Bangladesh’s radical Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami has warned interim government chief Mohammad Yunus that if any member of his government works for any political party, people will take to the streets. The party said that everyone knows what happened to those who acted like puppets of the party.

The parties that had earlier worked with Yunus to oust the democratically elected government of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League are now at loggerheads over reform proposals.

According to the report of Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, on Monday (October 20, 2025), a rally of the party was held at the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, which was addressed by Jamaat’s Assistant General Secretary Rafiqul Islam Khan.

Rafiqul Islam Khan said, ‘If any advisor, secretary, election commissioner or police officer wants to work like a party man, he should resign. Everyone knows what happened to those in the administration who acted like puppets of the party. If a person holding a government post works for a political party, then people will not just sit idly by. The rally was organized as part of the fourth phase of the ongoing organized movement by the Jamaat and seven other Islamic parties on five-point demands, which include a November referendum on the July Charter and holding of the upcoming national elections under the proportional representation system.

Reiterating the demands, Rafiqul said, ‘If these demands are not met, the movement of the Jamaat will continue.’ On the other hand, amid growing tension between the Nationalist Party (NCP) over the demand for a public relations system, Jamaat General Secretary Ghulam Porwar advised NCP leaders to avoid competition with the Islamic party.

This comment of Ghulam Porwar has come after the statement of NCP convenor Nahid Islam. Nahid Islam had said in a statement on the social media platform that the demand for proportional representation movement started by the Jamaat is nothing but a well-planned political fraud.

Bangladesh’s Bengali newspaper Prothom Aalo quoted Porwar as saying, ‘AAP is a new student-led political organization. You still have a long way to go to compete with Jamaat-e-Islami. Don’t try to compete with your father immediately after birth. He said that he does not take NCP seriously.

Imf on bangladesh: Salehuddin Ahmed, financial advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, said on Wednesday (25 June 2025) that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had sought information on the date of the upcoming general election before releasing the fourth and fifth installment of the loan. The IMF Executive Board has recently approved the fourth and fifth installments under a $ 4.7 billion loan program for Bangladesh. Under this, Bangladesh will now get about $ 1.34 billion.

According to reports, the fourth installment in December was stopped by the IMF when many conditions could not be fulfilled due to political instability and economic challenges after the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024. Salehuddin Ahmed told the local media, “The IMF asked me if the elections will be held in February. They want to be convinced about it. We told them that yes, elections will be held in February itself. Now all, even IMF is satisfied that the election date has been announced.

Bangladesh continues three IMF
IMF has released $ 2.31 billion in three installments to Bangladesh, with $ 1.15 billion released last year. After approval of the fourth and fifth installment on Monday (23 June 2025), the IMF made a statement that Bangladesh’s economic situation has worsened during the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus. Reasons such as continuous political uncertainty, strict monetary policies, increase in business obstacles and tension in the banking sector were given behind this.

IMF warning to Bangladesh
IMF has warned Bangladesh that it should prioritize the financial sector policies and deal with increasing weaknesses. A concrete strategy should be developed immediately to ensure the safety of small depositors by implementing a new legal structure for banking reforms. ” The IMF also said that it will be mandatory for Bangladesh to rapidly implement structural reforms to achieve high-medium income status.

Mohammad Yunus’s pressure on the interim government
Significantly, the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus is already under heavy pressure on political and security fronts. The government is facing a sharp criticism from within itself due to failure in economic reforms. The destinations believe that Bangladesh’s economy is in serious crisis due to the political upheaval that has been going on since August 2024. The business sector in the country is facing huge cash crisis and many commercial and industrial institutions have been closed.