Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman after he won his parliamentary seat by a landslide in Bangladesh’s national elections.

In a post on X, PM Modi conveyed his “warm congratulations” to Rahman for leading the BNP to victory.

“I convey my warm congratulations to Mr Tarique Rahman on leading the BNP to a decisive victory in the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership,” the Prime Minister said. “India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” he added.

Rahman, the heir of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, secured a massive win in Bogura-6 constituency, according to provisional results.

Rahman received 216,284 votes, while his nearest rival, Abidur Rahman Sohel of Jamaat-e-Islami, secured 97,626 votes, giving the BNP leader a margin of 118,658 votes, the Daily Star reported, citing counting centre figures.

The results remain provisional until they are officially published in the gazette.

Rahman also won the Dhaka-17 constituency, according to Election Commission officials quoted by PTI.

The election was held alongside a referendum on the “July National Charter”, an 84-point reform agenda. Vote counting began after polls closed at 4:30 pm local time, though voting continued at some locations to allow voters already in line to cast their ballots.

The election was largely seen as a contest between the BNP and its former ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, with the Awami League, led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, absent from the polls after being disbanded.

Reacting to the early trends, BNP’s Election Steering Committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin said the party’s victory was “inevitable and clear”.

During his campaign, Rahman said he would work to recalibrate Bangladesh’s foreign partnerships to attract investment and reduce reliance on any single power, unlike the previous government. He also promised greater financial support for vulnerable families, reducing dependence on the garment sector by promoting other industries, and introducing a constitutional limit of two terms (10 years) for the prime minister.