Rights groups cite electoral gains
Staff Reporter :
Four leading rights organisations on Sunday said 13th parliamentary elections reflected notable procedural improvements but remained marred by electoral violence, minority inclusion, digital harassment of women, and accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Representatives of Odhikar, RUPSA, Aarshi Trust and B-SCAN came up with the observation while presenting their respective election findings at a present conference titled ‘Joint Civil Society Preliminary Statements on Election Day’ held in a city hotel.
Koban Ali of Odhikar said election-day management showed “significant improvement” in transparency and integrity compared with previous polls. The organisation observed orderly voting in 99 per cent of locations it monitored.
The rights group, however, said that electoral violence persisted. Odhikar documented 61 incidents of pre-election violence and 45 incidents on polling day.
Post-election clashes intensified, with media reports confirming that three people, including a child, were killed and more than 100 injured by 14 February.
While acknowledging progress in procedural conduct, Odhikar stressed that the continuation of violence – particularly after voting concluded – underlined the need for stronger security and conflict-prevention measures in the post-poll period.
Sheikh Mostafizur Rahman of RUPSA presented findings from 509 polling stations in minority-concentrated areas. He said 98 per cent of centres opened on time, indicating administrative efficiency.
Yet concerns remained as intimidation or restricted movement was observed near 11.6 per cent of polling stations. Nearly 10 per cent showed irregularities in queue management, which the group said could affect fairness.
RUPSA reported that 16.3 per cent of assistance provided to minority voters appeared potentially problematic or coercive, raising questions about whether some ballots reflected the independent choice of voters.
Nafisa Raihana of Aarshi Trust highlighted what she described as a troubling surge in Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence during the election period.
Monitoring of Facebook discussions revealed a 2.7-fold increase in online abuse compared with the pre-election baseline.
Of the comments reviewed, 11.5 per cent were flagged as abusive, with 5 per cent classified as high-severity threats, including sexualised slurs and explicit threats of violence.
Women candidates and vocal female advocates were the primary targets. Aarshi Trust noted that comment sections often became “attack surfaces”, irrespective of the original subject of the post.
B-SCAN received accreditation to observe the election process from a disability rights perspective. Salma Mahbub said election officials were generally supportive and trained in disability etiquette.
Nonetheless, physical and systemic barriers remained widespread. Half of the observed polling stations were not located on the ground floor, limiting access for wheelchair users and others with mobility impairments.
In 44 per cent of centres, entrances had steps without functional ramps.
While persons with disabilities were present in 78 per cent of monitored centres, only around two-thirds were able to cast their votes independently.
Drawing on its policy gap analysis, B-SCAN called for comprehensive legal and infrastructural reforms to ensure inclusive elections.
Among its key recommendations were mandatory accessibility standards for polling stations, alignment of electoral laws with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the creation of accountability mechanisms within the Election Commission to monitor implementation.
The group also urged clear and uniform procedures for assisted voting to prevent officials from marking ballots on behalf of voters without their independent consent.
On infrastructure, B-SCAN recommended mandatory ground-floor voting locations, properly graded ramps, unobstructed entryways wide enough for wheelchairs, accessible signage, and measures to address transport barriers that disproportionately affect disabled voters.
It further called for readable election materials for persons with low vision or neurodevelopmental disabilities and for information to be placed at accessible heights.
The four organisations said their findings reflect a dual reality: progress in the technical management of the vote alongside ongoing challenges related to safety, inclusion and equal access.
They urged the Election Commission to investigate all incidents of violence, guarantee unrestricted observer access and implement enforceable accessibility standards.
The groups said they would continue monitoring the post-election environment through April before issuing final reports.