Election participatory, competitive: TIB

Staff Reporter :

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said that the 13th Parliamentary poll was participatory, fair, competition and inclusive, but marred by extensive violations of the electoral code of conduct, including widespread breaches of campaign spending limits.

Releasing its report titled “13th National Election Process Tracking and Affidavits: TIB’s Observations” at its Dhanmondi office on Sunday, TIB said that although the fall of the previous authoritarian government created expectations of change, a culture of “must win at any cost” persisted among many political parties and candidates.

Speaking at the press conference, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said signs of healthy competition were visible at the beginning of the campaign.

But nearly half of the MPs together hold Tk 113.56 billion in liabilities, the highest level recorded in the last four parliaments.

However, as polling day approached, inter-party and intra-party conflicts intensified, leading to unhealthy competition and violence that continued even after the election, he said.

TIB’s overall findings indicate a lack of cooperation by political parties and candidates with the Election Commission in complying with the electoral code of conduct.

According to the report, 99 percent of candidates violated one or more provisions of the code.

From a representative random sample of 70 constituencies out of 300, incidents of ballot stuffing were identified in 21.4 percent of constituencies, while multiple irregularities were reported in 40 percent.

Campaign spending limits, both online and offline, were widely exceeded.

The highest rate of violation was recorded among candidates from the two leading parties – BNP (327.5 per cent above the limit) and Jamaat (315.2 per cent).

The Jatiya Party (128.6 per cent) and NCP (19 per cent) showed comparatively lower rates. On average, candidates who breached the ceiling spent Tk 16,498,101.

The affidavit analysis revealed that 236 Members of Parliament, or 79.46 percent, are millionaires in taka terms. Among them, 13 MPs declared assets exceeding Tk 100 crore.

At the same time, nearly half of the MPs collectively hold liabilities amounting to Tk 113.56 billion – the highest compared to the previous four parliaments.

Sixty-two percent of BNP lawmakers and 16 percent of Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers have reported significant debts. All of the top 10 MPs with the highest liabilities belong to BNP.

Land ownership among lawmakers has also increased, with at least 62 percent – 184 MPs – owning a minimum of one acre of land, the highest proportion in recent parliamentary history.

Women’s representation has fallen sharply. Only seven women – 2.36 percent of the total – were elected, marking the lowest level in the last four elections.

In comparison, there were 14 women in the 9th Parliament, 20 in the 10th, 22 in the 11th and 20 in the 12th.

The 13th Parliament is comparatively younger, with 209 members, or 70 percent, entering parliament for the first time.

Both the prospective Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition are also first-time MPs.

A large majority – 84.83 percent – hold graduate or higher degrees.

Eight MPs declared foreign income sources, while five disclosed movable assets or bank accounts abroad. Three MPs reported ownership of immovable property outside Bangladesh.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said the misuse of money, religion, muscle power and patriarchal and majoritarian forces disrupted the level playing field required for healthy competition.

He noted that violence and intolerance created fear among women, minorities, Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

Although voter turnout was around 60 percent – comparable to many countries – TIB said it was not encouraging by Bangladesh’s standards. A segment of voters may have lacked confidence that their vote would bring meaningful change.

The organisation also observed that despite the Election Commission’s goodwill and active engagement, it was unable to fully control irregularities. Allegations of bias raised by both principal rivals, TIB said, may indirectly suggest efforts by the Commission to remain neutral.

TIB called on the new parliament to take firm steps to reform political culture and undertake broader state reforms, noting that many elected members had themselves been victims of authoritarianism and kleptocracy.