In the recent election, both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami saw significant increases in their vote share and number of seats compared to the 1991 election, with each experiencing a rise of nearly 20 percentage points.
During the February 12 election, the BNP garnered 49.97 percent of the vote and secured 209 seats, a substantial surge from the 30.81 percent vote share and 140 seats it had obtained in 1991. Similarly, Jamaat-e-Islami made notable progress, winning 31.76 percent of the vote and 68 seats this time around, a substantial improvement from the 12.13 percent of votes and 18 seats it had secured in 1991, as per Election Commission records.
The National Citizen Party, led by student and youth leaders from the July uprising, claimed the third spot in terms of vote share. Contesting in 32 constituencies, the party received 3.05 percent of the vote, as part of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance.
Meanwhile, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, under the leadership of Charmonai Pir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, competed in 257 constituencies and secured 2.70 percent of the vote. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, a member of the 11-party coalition, fielded candidates in 34 constituencies and garnered 2.09 percent of the vote.
Jatiya Party, which had representation in the previous three parliaments, nominated candidates in 199 constituencies but failed to secure any seats in this election, receiving only 0.89 percent of the votes.
A total of 50 political parties participated in the elections, with 44 of them receiving less than one percent of the votes. Additionally, 275 independent candidates collectively obtained 5.79 percent of the votes.
Although the popular vote count was not disclosed by the Election Commission, it is estimated that BNP and its allies garnered approximately 37.3 million votes, while Jamaat-e-Islami and its coalition partners received about 27.3 million votes.
The Election Commission reported that 59.44 percent of the 127.7 million registered voters cast their ballots in the February 12 polls.
Looking back at past elections, in the 1991 polls, a total of 34,103,777 voters participated. BNP secured 30.81 percent of the votes, amounting to 105,075,549 votes, and won 140 seats, subsequently forming the government with the unconditional support of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Jamaat-e-Islami, on the other hand, received 12.13 percent of the votes, totaling 41,36,661 votes, and secured 18 seats.
Subsequent elections in 1996, 2001, and 2008 saw varying levels of success for both parties in terms of votes and seat allocations within different alliances.
In the most recent 2018 election, BNP obtained 12.07 percent of the votes, equivalent to 9,977,319 votes, and secured six seats. Election experts highlighted challenges faced by BNP supporters, including ballot box stuffing and intimidation from the ruling party, which affected the party’s performance.
Abdul Alim, an election expert and former member of the Election Reform Commission, emphasized the impact of years of repression against BNP, including legal cases and attacks, on public perception. Alim also noted the resilience of BNP in the face of adversity, leading to increased support and voter turnout.
Discussing Jamaat-e-Islami’s performance, Alim mentioned the party’s exclusion from elections since 2014 and subsequent reorganization, which garnered public interest despite restrictions. He attributed the parties’ success to the presence of swing voters and highlighted the National Citizen Party’s significant vote share as a new political entity.