Violence and insecurity surrounding the upcoming election have emerged as major challenges to citizens’ trust. According to a recent public opinion survey by Democracy International, security is now the top concern for citizens in Bangladesh. The survey shows that 92 percent of citizens would not vote for parties or candidates involved in violence and election-day violence is considered the main factor reducing voter turnout.
In this context, “Voting and Voter Security”, a dialogue jointly organized by Jamuna Television and Democracy International, was held, bringing together political parties, election experts, researchers and media representatives to discuss the issue.
Catherine Cecil, Chief of Party at Democracy International, said that citizens’ concerns are no longer hypothetical; they reflect the current reality. She noted that the survey also found 27 percent of voters are still undecided. Acscording to her, violence not only discourages voters but also undermines the credibility of the entire electoral process.
Md. Abdul Alim, Principal Director of Democracy International, stated that many weapons looted after the July uprising have still not been recovered, putting election security at risk. He emphasized that all parties should have come together to establish clear security guidelines for voters.
Dr. Samina Lutfa, Professor of Sociology at Dhaka University, said that before and after elections, there is no clear assurance of security for women, indigenous groups and minorities. She added that political parties are not providing strong guidance to keep their members disciplined which further increases public concern.
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Jenia Kabir Shuchona, Senior Reporter at Channel 24, highlighted the importance of ensuring that journalists can work freely and lawfully during elections. She urged political parties to be cautious so that overexcited party workers do not exert undue influence.
Advocate Humayra Noor, Joint Secretary of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), said that the use of muscle power by major parties also jeopardizes candidates’ security, posing a significant obstacle to a fair election process.
At the same time, Abdur Rob, a member of the Central Executive Committee of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, raised questions about the role of the Election Commission. He said that a level playing field has yet to be established and expressed concern that the administration may be working in favour of a specific party. He called for establishing a culture where party workers apologize publicly for wrongdoing.
Dr. Abdullah Al Mamun, a member of BNP’s research team, said political parties are learning from past mistakes. Hotlines have been established to report complaints, and the party remains strict regarding misconduct by its members.
Participants in the dialogue agreed that ensuring voter security requires moving beyond political promises and implementing concrete measures, party discipline and visible action against violence, which are now the primary expectations of citizens.