Catholic leaders in Bangladesh welcomed the peaceful conduct of the Feb. 12 parliamentary elections that handed a decisive victory to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, calling the vote unprecedented in the country’s history.
“We were positively impressed that the elections were completely peaceful. There were no casualties and no violence in connection with the elections: This is unprecedented in the history of Bangladesh. The general atmosphere was very good, characterized by great enthusiasm,” said Auxiliary Bishop Subroto Boniface Gomes of Dhaka.
In an interview with the Vatican’s Fides News Agency, the prelate said voters were able to cast their ballots without fear.
“We saw impressive security measures and soldiers guarding the area and the polling stations. People were able to exercise their democratic right to vote in peace,” he said.
The election commission reported a voter turnout of 60 percent.
Preliminary results showed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won more than 212 of the 300 parliamentary seats, securing a two-thirds majority in the country’s first elections since student protests in August 2024 ended the 15-year rule of exiled politician Sheikh Hasina.
Her party, the Awami League, was barred from participating. A coalition of Islamist groups led by Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to win around 76 seats.
Bishop Gomes said minorities, including Christians, generally view the BNP favorably.
“As far as I can tell,” he said, “this is a party generally appreciated by Bangladesh’s minorities for its moderate stance towards Islamist parties. I observe that Bangladeshi Christians, by and large, are satisfied with the BNP’s history and have high hopes for the future.”
BNP leader Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom. The son of three-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died Dec. 30, Rahman is set to lead the new government as prime minister.
On Feb. 13, Rahman called for a nationwide day of prayer.
“We understood this call as a very important sign: it means bringing public life back to a spiritual level. We hope that the BNP leader, who has lived in England for 17 years, can bring something good back to our country from this experience. He has made it clear that the nation needs peace and stability and that we all have to work together for it. As Christians, we share this approach,” Bishop Gomes said.
Voters also approved several institutional reforms in a referendum aimed at preventing the return of an authoritarian regime.
Father Peter Chanel Gomes, a priest in Dhaka and national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the country, described the elections as a sign of democratic resilience.
“The election has shown that democracy in Bangladesh is alive and strong. For many citizens, these elections were a relief in the face of corruption, unrest, and insecurity. People voted freely and safely. The election day, marked by freedom and optimism, demonstrated that the people can truly contribute to the future of the country when given the opportunity.”
