VIOLENCE has started breaking out centring on the national elections scheduled to take place on February 12. Violence appears to be intensifying as the elections near. Rights group Ain O Salish Kendra says that at least 10 people died and 555 were wounded in 65 clashes in January 1–28. The intensity of the violence is reflected in the fact that, as the rights group’s data show, four people died and 353 were wounded in 42 incidents in about a week from January 21. The rights group says that five people died in September, six in October, eight in November and four in December 2025. Police data, however, say that at least 2,021 incidents of political violence took place after the announcement of the election schedule on December 11, 2025, until January 28, and at least four people died in such incidents. Police data say that 73 clashes took place between supporters of opponents, nine were attacks on candidates, eight involved threats, 15 involved intimidation, two involved the use of illegal arms and 22 were related to obstruction of electoral campaigns. Fourteen incidents were related to attacks on election officers of parties and 11 were related to blockades and protests.
There are fears that violence may intensify further as the elections draw nearer. Experts say that such violence is unwarranted, especially in the changed political context, with the Awami League having fallen on August 5, 2024 and the interim government having assumed office three days later with promises of a better political, electoral and state governance regime. The chief adviser to the interim government has also more than once said that the interim government would hold elections with festivity and enthusiasm, in a free, fair and credible manner, unlike past such events. Whilst the government, which is taking steps after the commission of violence, has not been able to create a situation, in terms of law enforcement, to stop clashes and violence, political parties, especially the two major ones now in the field, have also failed to exercise restraint. All this lends credence to the likelihood of an intensified series of violence, with all its associated ills. The violence may also have negative implications for voter turnout. Even fears of violence could hold voters back from reaching polling stations. The police chief has sought to describe the situation so far as normal in view of half a century of electoral history.
Elections, free of violence as expected and implicitly promised, cannot justify violence this time simply because elections in Bangladesh’s past have rarely been free of it. Elections marred by even a single incident of violence in the past cannot be a benchmark for democratic credibility.
