Pakistani PM Sharif congratulates Tarique Rahman on BNP’s election victory

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on the party’s historic victory in the Bangladesh general election.

In a tweet late Friday evening, the prime minister said he spoke with Rahman in a “warm and cordial telephone call” and expressed Pakistan’s eagerness to further strengthen its brotherly ties with Bangladesh.

“Pakistan looks forward to strengthening its brotherly ties with Bangladesh, building on the legacy of Begum Khaleda Zia, and advancing our shared goals of peace, progress and prosperity,” Shehbaz wrote.

The congratulatory message comes after the BNP secured a landslide victory in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections, returning to power after nearly 20 years, according to election results reported earlier.

Rahman — son of former premier Khaleda Zia and assassinated former president Ziaur Rahman — is now poised to become prime minister as his party won a commanding majority in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The BNP and its allies secured at least 212 of the 299 seats, while the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its partners won 77 seats, the Election Commission said.

Voter turnout was significantly higher than in the previous election, reflecting widespread public engagement.

Shehbaz’s phone call reflected the deep-rooted historical and cultural links between Pakistan and Bangladesh, and his mention of the late Begum Khaleda Zia underscored a desire to build on longstanding ties between political families in the two countries.

In his party’s manifesto, Rahman pledged to focus on job creation, protecting low-income households, and ensuring fair prices for farmers.

International leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US ambassador to Bangladesh were among the first to congratulate Rahman on the victory.