BNP emerging as favourite bet for victory in elections , Indian envoy and EU member meet Tariqe Rahaman

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, January 11, 2026

As the February 12 election in Bangladesh draws close by the day, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that ruled the country in two phases between 1991-1996 and 2001-2006 seems to be emerging strongly from shadows as the best bet for winning the polls by India and foreign countries including the economic super-power, the European Union. This is borne out by the series of meetings that foreign envoys to Bangladesh have been holding with the BNP supremo and presumptive prime minister Tarique Rahaman.

Yesterday the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma had an hourlong meeting with Tarique from 5-00 PM in the BNP’s party headquarter in Gulshan area of Dhaka . Those present in the meeting with Tarique were BNP’s secretary general Mirza Faqrul Alamgir, senior member of party’s standing committee Salahudddin Ahmed and the party’s joint general secretary Humayun Kabir . What transpired in the meeting was not disclosed but sources privy to the discussion in the meeting said that the discussion was cordial and frank with the Indian envoy flagging the government of India’s concern over unrelenting attacks on minorities in the country ever since the incumbent interim government took over power in August 2024 following the forced ouster of Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government . Verma also clearly indicated continuity in India’s close and special relationship with Bangladesh after BNP comes to power. For his part Tarique Rahaman also made clear that BNP is always committed to welfare and protection of minorities and that no BNP man has been involved in anti-minority activities .

The discussion between Pranay Verma and Tarique Rahaman ended on a positive note. This had been preceded by another one-to-one discussion between Tarique and Dr Ivas Jiabs , member of European Parliament (EU) and chief observer of the EU’s election watch and monitoring team. The discussion centres on the upcoming elections and Tarique Rahaman assured the EU representative that his party BNP believes in democratic norms and practices and will never allow the upcoming election to be tainted . This round of discussion had also ended on a positive note.

Sources from Bangladesh said that in a recent country-wide survey it has been revealed that more than 70% of the Bangladeshi electorate prefer BNP to any other party as winner in the upcoming election and they will vote for BNP. This has raised the hackles of the leadership of fundamentalist Jamat and the widespread attacks on minorities in many parts of Bangladesh are being attributed to frustration of Jamat and intent to terrorise minority votes likely to support BNP in the absence of Awami League in the electoral arena. Things are likely to worsen further for minorities until the elections come off.

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