Election fever sweeps nation

Abu Jakir :

A nationwide election travel rush has taken hold of Bangladesh as the country enters the final stretch before the much-talked-about and long-anticipated February 12 parliamentary elections.

With just two days remaining before voting begins, a mix of festivity, urgency and expectation has gripped the nation, as millions hurry back to their hometowns, cities and areas close to their designated polling centres to ensure they can cast their ballots.

Bus terminals, railway stations and launch ghats across the country have been packed since early this week, reflecting a level of public engagement many voters describe as unprecedented in recent years.

Long queues, fully booked tickets and crowded platforms have become a familiar sight from Dhaka to district towns, underscoring the significance many attach to the vote.

For a large section of the electorate, the election is being framed as historic. It will be the first parliamentary vote in 16 years following the end of the Hasina administration’s prolonged period of authoritarian rule, during which critics say citizens were effectively denied meaningful voting rights.

That context has fuelled both enthusiasm and high expectations, particularly among first-time voters and those who had previously disengaged from electoral politics.

The domestic anticipation has been matched by intense international attention. Around 5,000 foreign journalists and election observers are currently in Bangladesh to monitor the 13th parliamentary election, placing the process under close global scrutiny.

Authorities have repeatedly pledged that the polls will be conducted in a free, fair and credible manner.

Adding to the cautiously optimistic mood, the head of the European Union Election Observation Mission, Evers Izabs, has described the overall election environment as “very positive.”

Speaking at a media briefing at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday morning, Izabs said the atmosphere surrounding the polls was encouraging and expressed hope that Bangladesh could deliver a credible and inclusive election.

Responding to questions from journalists, he noted that many of the people the EU mission has spoken to emphasised that the election should mark a new chapter in the country’s history and democratic journey.

“That is why the overall environment and public expectations around the election are very hopeful,” Izabs said, adding that the observers were keen to see a participatory process that meets international standards.

The interim government has also sought to reinforce a message of restraint and national unity.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday evening at 7pm, Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus urged all contesting candidates to place the country’s broader interests above personal or party considerations, regardless of the election outcome.

“Whatever the result of the election may be, I sincerely call upon all candidates to rise above personal or partisan interests and prioritise the greater national interest,” he said.

Dr Yunus also expressed deep satisfaction with what he described as a largely peaceful campaign period, noting that political parties had shown restraint, candidates had behaved responsibly and citizens had remained vigilant despite differences in opinion and ideology.

He stressed that such an environment was the result of collective responsibility, not coincidence.

Meanwhile, election authorities say security arrangements for the vote are unprecedented in scale.

At a press briefing held at the Election Commission building in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Tuesday, Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said that closed-circuit television cameras have been installed in more than 90 percent of polling centres across 299 constituencies.

The 13th parliamentary election and a referendum will be held on Thursday, February 12. Voting in one of the 300 constituencies has been postponed due to the death of a candidate, leaving 299 seats going to the polls.

Of more than 42,000 polling centres nationwide, those deemed vulnerable have been brought under enhanced and round-the-clock surveillance.

Although the commissioner did not provide an exact figure for the number of centres equipped with CCTV cameras, he said a detailed count would be disclosed on Wednesday.

In addition to CCTV, authorities plan to use drones and body-worn cameras at selected polling stations where necessary.

To maintain law and order, a total of 958,000 members of various security forces have been deployed nationwide.

They are being supported by 2,098 executive magistrates and 657 judicial magistrates.

“Such a large force and capacity has never been deployed in Bangladesh before,” Sanaullah said, adding that there was no reason to be overly concerned about unrest, though preparations were in place to respond swiftly to any isolated incidents.

The Election Commission also revealed that since December 13, law enforcement agencies have recovered 850 firearms from different parts of the country.

A significant portion of those weapons, the commissioner said, were believed to have been brought in with the intention of being misused during the election period.

On polling day, the commission plans to brief the media every two hours on the overall situation, an initiative aimed at ensuring transparency and maintaining public confidence.