DHAKA — Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, returning to power after nearly two decades and positioning party leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister as the country emerges from months of unrest and economic disruption.

Mr. Rahman, the son of former premier Khaleda Zia who returned to Dhaka in December after nearly two decades abroad, faces immediate challenges in restoring political stability, reviving investor confidence and rebuilding key industries – including the garment sector – after prolonged turmoil that followed the collapse of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government last year.

The latest counts in a vote viewed as the South Asian nation’s first truly competitive election in years gave the BNP and its allies at least 212 of the 299 seats up for grabs, local TV channels said. The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 70 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation.

The Election Commission put the BNP at 181 seats, the Jamaat-e-Islami at 61 and others at 7, with full official results expected in the next few hours.

Results in several seats are still being processed and the full result is expected within hours, the commission said, though the gazette notification will take a few more days, which could delay the swearing-in of the new government.

Under the constitution, the new government cannot be sworn in unless the gazette notification reporting the results is released.

The BNP thanked its supporters soon after election trends became clear and called for special prayers on Friday for the nation and its people.

“Despite winning … by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organized,” the party said in a statement.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), led by youth activists who played a key role in toppling Ms. Hasina, won just five of the 30 seats that it contested. The NCP was part of the Jamaat-led alliance.

A clear outcome had been viewed as key for stability in the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and industries including garment manufacturing. Bangladesh is the No. 2 exporter of garments in the world.

“A strong majority gives the BNP the parliamentary strength to pass reforms efficiently and avoid legislative paralysis. That alone can create short-term political stability,” said Selim Raihan, an economics professor at the University of Dhaka.

In its manifesto, the BNP promised to prioritize job creation, protect low-income and marginal households and ensure fair prices to farmers.

“If the factories run regularly and we get our wages on time, that’s what matters to us. I just want the BNP government to bring back stability so more orders come to Bangladesh and we can survive,” Josna Begum, 28, a garment worker and mother of two, told Reuters.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the US ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen, were among the first to congratulate Mr. Rahman on his party’s victory.

BNP SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE OVERNIGHT
The Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami conceded defeat late on Thursday night once trends became clear, but said in a statement on Friday that it was “not satisfied” with the process and asked its followers to remain patient.

The party won its highest-ever tally of 70 seats in Parliament, contesting for the first time since it was banned in 2013 after its registration was cancelled. A court in Bangladesh said the party’s constitution went against secularism. The ban was lifted after Ms. Hasina’s ouster.

Now in exile in New Delhi, Ms. Hasina long dominated Bangladesh politics along with Mr. Rahman’s mother, while his father was a leading independence figure who ruled from 1977 until 1981 before he was assassinated.

The BNP win with more than 200 seats is one of its biggest, surpassing its 2001 victory with 193, although Ms. Hasina’s Awami League, which ruled for 15 years and was barred from contesting this time, secured a bigger tally of 230 in 2008.

But elections of other years were boycotted by one of the main parties or were contentious.

Overnight, throngs of supporters cheered and shouted slogans at the BNP headquarters in Dhaka as the scale of the party’s landslide became clear.

Turnout exceeded the 42% of the last election in 2024, with media reports saying nearly 60% of registered voters participated in the election on Thursday.

More than 2,000 candidates, many independents among them, were on the ballot, which featured a record number of at least 50 parties. Voting in one constituency was postponed after a candidate died.

Broadcaster Jamuna TV said more than 2 million voters chose “Yes” while more than 850,000 said “No” in a referendum on constitutional reforms held alongside the election, but there was no official word on the outcome.

The changes include two-term limits for prime ministers and stronger judicial independence and women’s representation while providing for neutral interim governments during election periods and setting up a second house of the 300-seat parliament. — Reuters

KARACHI — Under neon lights at an indoor sports club in Karachi, twenty-somethings drifted between glowing courts and a DJ booth, dancing with coffee cups and iced tea in hand.

No alcohol. No drugs. And the music ended promptly at 10 pm.

In Pakistan, a growing number of Gen Z are opting for “sober socializing”, joining a global trend as young people increasingly opt for healthier lifestyles.

Here, though, the shift carries an added appeal: Drinking alcohol is illegal for Muslims, who make up the vast majority of Pakistan’s population.

PARTYING WITHOUT THE POUR
They are increasingly turning their backs on the party scene of the past, which often involved underground venues because of the presence of alcohol and drugs, and the risk of running afoul of authorities.

“In Karachi, we don’t have many places to just exist socially,” said Zia Malik, a software entrepreneur attending the event. “This gives you that without having to hide.”

“I have visited some underground parties,” he added. “You cannot feel secure.”

At the sports club, crowd numbers were capped. Between breaks in dancing, revelers played padel, a cross between squash and tennis popular in Pakistan.

The event’s organizer, experiential platform 12xperience, had local government approval to host a public party without alcohol.

CREATING A SAFE SPACE
Cameras – both wall-mounted and on drones – monitored the crowd to enforce the no-alcohol policy and to deter fights or harassment, organizers said.

“Without guardrails, you’re just recreating the same risks people are trying to escape,” said Mohammed Usman, founder of 12xperience.

“This is about creating a space where people feel safe,” he said. “Without alcohol, without drugs, without chaos.”

Events like this are popping up across the city of nearly 19 million in growing numbers, mainly at sports facilities and coffee shops, but also at venues such as art galleries and co-working spaces.

Euromonitor data shows Pakistan’s soft drinks market grew more than 27% between 2020 and 2025, and hot drinks – a category that includes coffee – expanded by a similar margin.

While that mirrors a global trend in young people drinking less, Pakistan’s shift has outpaced mature markets such as the United States and Britain, where non-alcoholic beverage volumes have grown only modestly.

PARTYING WITHIN ISLAMIC BOUNDARIES
Sociologist Kausar Parveen said the change shows how young Pakistanis have put a modern spin on adapting to the country’s Islamic norms, rather than being a sign they are rejecting them.

“They are not going beyond religion, but reframing how social life happens,” said Mr. Parveen, an associate professor at the University of Karachi.

Women-only events are also increasing in popularity, in a country where gender mixing carries cultural stigmas.

“For a lot of women, nightlife comes with conditions of who’s there, how late it runs, how visible it is,” said comedian and influencer Amtul Bajwa, who was hosting the women-only desi music night at her cafe in Karachi, Third Culture Coffee.

“This was about creating a space where women could relax without negotiating those things.”

OPTIONS OPEN ONLY TO WOMEN
Pakistani and Indian music played as women danced without reservations to desi tracks, and the event ended at 9pm sharp.

“You don’t have to worry about who’s watching,” said Fatima, who did not share her last name because her parents did not know she was attending. “Ending early makes it easier to get home.”

Ms. Bajwa has also hosted a number of coffee raves for both genders, and recently held a silent disco at her cafe, but said there is particular demand for women-only events.

Price is something of an issue: tickets typically cost between 3,000 and 7,000 Pakistani rupees ($10.73 to $25.04) in a country where entry-level monthly salaries tend to be 30,000 to 40,000 rupees, making a single night out a significant expense.

Even so, sober raves have become a significant – and very visible – outlet for Pakistan’s youth.

At the sports club, well-dressed lifestyle bloggers and social media influencers posted photos and videos in real time, something unlikely at parties involving alcohol.

“It’s more available to the masses,” said Shah Zaib, a 27-year-old data analyst attending his third such event.

“I love the fact that it’s not underground anymore.” — Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s government will form a special committee to investigate allegations against the country’s anti-corruption chief, the communications minister said on Friday, following a media report alleging a breach of shareholding laws.

The task force will be led by the country’s Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said during his weekly press conference.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg cited a corporate filing from last year as saying that Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki held 17.7 million shares in a financial services company that were currently worth about 800,000 ringgit ($205,000), well above the 100,000 ringgit limit allowed for public servants.

Bloomberg in a later report on Thursday said that MACC officials were also helping a group of businessmen to seize control over companies, citing internal documents and interviews with witnesses. Reuters has not independently verified the report.

“After the investigation is completed, it will be reported back to the Cabinet for any follow-up action. This is an effort to ensure the aspects of transparency and integrity of the investigation process,” Mr. Fahmi said.

Mr. Fahmi did not specify which allegations would be investigated.

Mr. Azam said earlier that he was willing to be investigated by a government committee amid calls for him to step down, adding that he had “nothing to hide” as all his financial and asset declarations have been made according to public service laws.

“I am confident that the truth will prevail through a fair and independent process,” he said in a statement.

The report prompted opposition lawmakers and civil society groups to renew demands for Mr. Azam’s resignation and call for major reforms to the anti-graft agency, including the removal of the prime minister’s power to appoint the MACC chief.

Mr. Azam’s trading activities faced similar scrutiny in 2022 over allegations that he owned millions of shares in two publicly listed companies in 2015 and 2016.

The securities regulator said at the time it was unable to determine whether he had broken the law. — Reuters

THE US Treasury Department on Thursday unveiled interim rules for enforcing provisions in President Donald Trump’s new tax law that restrict companies from claiming federal clean energy subsidies if they are overly reliant on Chinese-made equipment.

The guidance, which applies to lucrative tax credits for clean energy manufacturing and electricity generation, has been eagerly awaited by solar and wind project developers and factory owners since passage of Mr. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act last July.

The law accelerated the expiration of many Biden-era clean energy tax credits and introduced complex requirements meant to reduce US reliance on supply chains controlled by what it called “prohibited foreign entities,” which include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Mr. Trump has used his second term to hinder the expansion of clean energy technologies, which he has criticized for being too reliant on Chinese supply chains.

Specifically, the Trump tax law prevents companies owned or influenced by Chinese firms from accessing the credits and restricts the use of components or labor sourced from Chinese companies.

Previously, the restrictions for foreign entities only applied to clean vehicle tax credits.

Though domestic manufacturing of solar and batteries has increased dramatically in recent years, producers still rely heavily on inputs and components made overseas, often by Chinese companies. China is by far the world’s largest producer of solar energy components.

“There’s been so many projects that have been in limbo, so having some clarification out there should certainly be more helpful than hurtful,” said Yogin Kothari, chief strategy officer for the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America Coalition.

In a public notice on its web site, Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service spelled out formulas and procedures for determining if a project or component received “material assistance” from a prohibited entity.

Taxpayers may use IRS-determined assigned cost percentages for components to determine whether a facility or component meets eligibility thresholds. They may also rely on supplier certifications that equipment or materials are eligible.

The Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service said the interim rules can be relied on until it proposes formal regulations. It is seeking public comments for 45 days for future guidance. — Reuters