Election in Bangladesh: Challenges to Conduct Free and Fair Election
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46507/jclp.v4i1.699Keywords:
Election, Inclusive Elections, Violence, Democracy, BangladeshAbstract
This paper investigates the impediments to free and fair elections in Bangladesh, examines the effects of electoral violence and partisanship on democracy, and suggests reforms for clean and representative election processes. A descriptive qualitative design and content analysis are used in this study to find and explain typical patterns of electoral malpractices, intimidation of voters, political violence, and institutional bias in Bangladesh's elections. The study finds that deep-seated political interference, electoral violence, and institutional flaws compromise electoral integrity in Bangladesh, particularly the absence of an independent Election Commission. These have diminished voter confidence, opposition boycotts, and democratic regression. To uphold electoral integrity in Bangladesh, the study recommends comprehensive political, legal, and institutional reforms. These include ensuring the independence of the Election Commission (EC), enforcing campaign finance laws, preventing pre-election violence, protecting media freedom, fostering inter-party consensus, and enhancing election monitoring mechanisms. In the future, studies on election governance in similar democracies, the prospects of electronic voting for fraud prevention, and the effect of reforms on democratic consolidation in Bangladesh are envisaged.
References
Abdullah, A. (2018). Elections and Democracy in Bangladesh: Challenges for Free and Fair National Elections. Public Affairs And Governance, 6(1), 104. https://doi.org/10.5958/2321-2136.2018.00007.3
Abedin, M. J. (2020). Legitimacy Crisis in Bangladesh: A Case Study of 10th General Election (2 cites). European Journal of Political Science Studies, 3(2), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3612187
Academy, B., & Ahmed, N. (2013). Forty Years of Bangladesh Parliament : Trends ,. Journal of The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Humanities), 58(1), 83–128.
Ahmed, N. (2001). Bangladesh. In Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook (pp. 515–552). Oxford University PressOxford. https://doi.org/10.1093/019924958X.003.0025
Akter, N. (2023). The Crisis of Independence and Impartiality of the Election Commission of Bangladesh: A Study on the Eleventh National Parliamentary Election. VII(2454), 1175–1189. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS
Alamgir, M. (2025, February). Only wealthy have access to politics. 1–4.
Alim, M. A. (2024). The alterations we need in our Election Commission.
BIGD. (2013). State of Governance Report 2013 Democracy Party Politics. BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD.
Chowdhury, M. M. R. (2014). Good Governance In Bangladesh: A Quest For Democracy.
DhakaTribune. (2013). Keep state resources out of election campaigns.
Ebiziem, J. (2015). Electoral Violence and Sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria; A Critical Appraisal of 2015 Presidential Election. Journal of Political Science and Leadership Research, 1(8), 37–51. www.iiardpub.org
Hasanuzzaman, A. M. (2018). Bangladesher Nirbachon. Prothoma Prokashona.
Hossain, M. S. (2023). Electoral systems in South Asia and Bangladesh ’ s perspective. The Daily Observer.
HRSS. (2022). Human Rights Violence During Elections in Bangladesh-2024. In Elections A to Z.
Huda, A. S. (2013). Its meaning , attributes and limit.
Human Rights Watch. (2014). Democracy in the crossfire - Oppositin Violence and Government Abuses in the 2014 Pre- and Post- Election Period in Bangladesh.
Huque, A. S., & Hakim, M. A. (1993). Elections in bangladesh: Tools of legitimacy. Asian Affairs, 19(4), 248–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/00927678.1993.10553532
International Crisis Group. (2024). Beyond the Election : Overcoming Bangladesh ’ s Political Deadlock (Issue January).
Jahan, R. (2018). Political Parties Movements, Elections and Democracy in Bangladesh.
Khan, A. A. (2015). The politics of constitutional amendments in Bangladesh: The case of the non-political caretaker government. International Review of Law, 2015(3), 9. https://doi.org/10.5339/irl.2015.9
Lorch, J. (2014). Elections in Bangladesh: Political Conflict and Problem of Credibility. E-International Relations, December 2013, 0–7.
M. Sakhawat Hossain. (2014). Gonotontro o Nirbachon. Palok Publishers.
M. Sakhawat Hossain. (2022, February). The decline in the quality of the Election Commission saddens me. Prothom.
Mollah, M. A. H., & Jahan, R. (2018). Parliamentary election and electoral violence in Bangladesh: the way forward. International Journal of Law and Management, 60(2), 741–756. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLMA-07-2017-0161
Momen, N., & Begum, M. (2014). The Political Challenges for Free and Fair Elections in Bangladesh. The IIS University Journal of Social Sciences, 3(1), 52–63. IISUniv.J.S.Sc.
Mustafa, K. (2024). A review of the 2024 electoral drama.
Nanes, Matthew J. (2016). Political Violence Cycles: Electoral Incentives and the Provision of Counterterrorism. Comparative Political Studies, 50(2), 171–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414016635198
Nwatu, R. (2018). Electoral Violence and Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria. Journal of Administration, 3(1), 43–60. https://journals.aphriapub.com/index.php/EJA/article/view/44
Omotola, S. (2011). Explaining electoral violence in Africa’s ‘new’ democracies. African Journal on Conflict Resolution, 10(3), 51–73. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajcr.v10i3.63320
Prodip, M. M. A., & Rabbani, G. (2014). Abolition of Non-Party Caretaker Government System in Bangladesh: Controversy and Reality. Global Journal of Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(5), 24–42. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262919058_Abolition_of_Non-Party_Caretaker_Government_System_in_Bangladesh_Controversy_and_Reality
Rahman, M. M. (2024, December). Electoral Process : From manipulation to transparency.
Toyoda, S. (2012). Competitive Elections and Electoral Violence : An Empirical Investigation on Mexican Democratization , 1990. 1–51.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Md. Nazirul Hasan Baized, Ashiqur Rahman, Jannatul Ferdous
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in Journal of Contemporary Local Politics agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
