Concerns over whether Bangladesh’s next parliamentary election will be held on time have resurfaced among senior BNP leaders following a series of violent incidents across the country.
Since the Election Commission unveiled the timetable for the 13th national election on 11 December, incidents including shootings, killings, arson and attacks on media offices have heightened anxiety over the law and order situation. The election is scheduled for 12 February.
Among the reported incidents are the shooting of prospective candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency Sharif Osman Hadi of the Inqilab Mancha, the death of a child after a BNP leader’s house was set on fire in Lakshmipur, the killing of garment worker Dipu Das in Mymensingh, and vandalism and arson attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.
The violence has triggered public questions about the government’s ability to maintain security during the election period and has renewed uncertainty over whether conditions are suitable for holding a national vote as planned.
Senior leaders of BNP, the largest political force in the country, say the deterioration in law and order has reinforced their doubts about the election process. They argue that the timing and nature of the incidents point to deliberate attempts to destabilise the political environment and obstruct the polls.
Despite these concerns, BNP leaders say they want to place trust in assurances from the interim government. On Monday, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus told a US special envoy that the election would be held on 12 February as scheduled. BNP leaders have said they are willing to rely on that commitment, even as uncertainty persists.
Questions about the election are being voiced beyond opposition politics. Leaders of political parties and social organisations have warned publicly that conspiracies to derail the electoral process may once again be gaining ground.
Speaking at an event at London’s City Pavilion, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman said conspiracies surrounding the election had not ended and that the upcoming polls would not be easy. He said similar doubts had been raised a year earlier, adding that those concerns were now materialising.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir echoed the unease at a conference at Agargaon on Tuesday, saying recent violence had left people worried and questioning whether the election would take place at all.
Later the same day, Fakhrul said some individuals and groups were still plotting to obstruct Bangladesh’s transition to democracy. He blamed what he described as the government’s failure to maintain law and order for the worsening situation and called on the authorities to play a more active and constructive role in creating an election-friendly environment.
Concerns have also been raised over the interim government’s response to attacks on media and cultural institutions. BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas questioned the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies, saying they were often unavailable during serious incidents.
Abbas further alleged that a conspiracy was underway to sabotage the 12 February election, claiming violence had intensified following the announcement of Tarique Rahman’s return to the country. He said the recurrence of violent incidents suggested a coordinated effort to create instability, accusing those behind attacks on newspaper offices and other establishments of seeking political advantage amid disorder.
The government has not responded in detail to the allegations, but with less than two months until polling day, restoring confidence in public security has emerged as a central challenge. How authorities address the law and order situation in the coming weeks is likely to shape public trust in the electoral process and determine whether the election proceeds as scheduled.
