Pakistan’s top leadership on Friday congratulated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on securing a commanding victory in Bangladesh’s general elections, expressing readiness to deepen bilateral engagement after years of strained ties.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended “warmest felicitations” to Tarique Rahman for leading the BNP to what he described as a resounding parliamentary victory. He also congratulated the Bangladeshi electorate on the conduct of the polls, saying Islamabad looked forward to working closely with the new leadership to strengthen “historic, brotherly multifaceted bilateral relations” and promote peace and development in South Asia.
President Asif Ali Zardari similarly conveyed his congratulations to Rahman and the people of Bangladesh, reaffirming Pakistan’s support for democratic partnership and shared progress.
According to domestic media tallies, the BNP and its allies secured at least 212 of the 299 contested seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, granting the party a two-thirds majority. The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 70 seats.
The result marks the BNP’s return to power after two decades and follows months of political upheaval triggered by the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 amid a youth-led uprising. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus had since served as interim head of government.
Rahman, son of former president Ziaur Rahman, returned to Dhaka in December after nearly 18 years abroad and is widely expected to be sworn in as prime minister in the coming days.
In a statement issued after the overnight vote count, the BNP thanked voters and called for nationwide prayers rather than celebratory rallies, signaling a cautious approach amid lingering political sensitivities.
Islamabad and Dhaka have shown signs of rapprochement since the political transition in 2024. Diplomatic exchanges have increased, sea trade routes have resumed, and government-to-government commerce has expanded after years of limited engagement.
Analysts view the BNP’s decisive mandate as potentially stabilizing for Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of 175 million and the world’s second-largest garments exporter. A stable government in Dhaka may open further avenues for regional trade connectivity, particularly between Pakistan and Bangladesh, whose relations have often been overshadowed by historical grievances dating back to 1971.
Friday’s messages from Islamabad indicate a clear intent to consolidate recent gains and institutionalize cooperation under the new administration in Dhaka.