Authorities failed to take action in nearly half of the incidents of electoral violence recorded ahead of the February 12 parliamentary election, according to a field monitoring report released today by human rights organisation Odhikar.
The report found that supporters of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were predominantly involved in the documented incidents, most of which occurred in rural areas.
Odhikar presented its findings at a press briefing titled “Electoral Violence in the Pre-Election Period: Evidence from Field Monitoring” at a hotel in Gulshan.
The monitoring covered the period from January 18 to February 5 across 50 constituencies in 22 districts. The initiative was supported by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
Odhikar officials said they documented 30 incidents of violence in 14 districts during the period.
“In 47 percent of cases, authorities took no action. Investigations or protective measures were rare, reinforcing perceptions of impunity,” the report stated.
It added that nearly two-thirds of the incidents either discouraged or prevented voters and candidates from participating in the electoral process.
According to the findings, affiliates of the BNP were implicated in the highest number of cases, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami.
Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar were identified as the main hotspots, with seven and four incidents recorded respectively.
The report said intimidation was the most common tactic used during the pre-election period.
Threats and harassment accounted for 33 percent of the incidents, followed by property damage (20 percent), physical clashes (17 percent), and obstruction of the electoral process (17 percent).
“Two-thirds of the incidents occurred in union parishads, and half took place in public spaces such as streets and marketplaces,” it added.
Speakers at the briefing urged the Election Commission and law enforcement agencies to strengthen their presence in rural constituencies and ensure impartial enforcement of the law.
“With only five days remaining before the election, we hope the authorities will take appropriate measures to ensure that women and minority communities are not affected, as was observed in previous elections,” said Taskin Fahmina, advocacy director of Odhikar.
She also called on political parties to issue strict instructions from their central leadership to grassroots activists to refrain from engaging in violence.
The report recommended extending the deployment of security forces in critical constituencies beyond the planned three-day post-election period.
Odhikar’s Programme Coordinator Korban Ali, Admin Director Nasiruddin Elan, and former member of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances Sazzad Hussain also spoke at the event.
