Thursday, 15 January, 2026
A growing sense of uncertainty is gripping Bangladeshis at home and abroad as the country moves towards its much-anticipated national election scheduled for February 12, amid a spike in killings, bomb blasts and mob violence, widening political rifts, and allegations of indifference by the Election Commission (EC).
With less than four weeks remaining, a pressing question is being asked ever more insistently—from club tables in Dhaka to dining rooms in Denmark: can the interim government maintain law and order sufficiently to hold a credible national election?
Public anxiety has deepened after the Election Commission itself acknowledged that recent killings, explosions and mob attacks have raised serious security concerns ahead of polling day. Discussions about the election’s fate now dominate everyday conversations across the country and among the Bangladeshi diaspora, reflecting a growing fear that violence and political mistrust could derail the process.
Over the past month, at least three political leaders and two members of minority communities have been reported killed in escalating pre-election violence. Based on verified media reports and human-rights documentation, between six and ten deaths linked directly to political and communal violence have been recorded in the last 30 days alone. Rights groups caution that this is a minimum estimate, as no comprehensive official data have yet been released.
The death of prominent activist Sharif Osman bin Hadi, who died in hospital after being shot, triggered nationwide protests and heightened tensions. Since then, sporadic violence and factional clashes have continued, even as the EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, insists it remains hopeful of a peaceful vote.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “We are somewhat concerned; killings are happening. Still, we are not discouraged. Inshallah, the environment will improve,” he said, adding that meetings had been held with the Home Ministry and senior law-enforcement officials to strengthen coordination.
The government has announced a range of security measures, including issuing arms licences and providing armed guards for political leaders, rewards for the recovery of illegal weapons, and the deployment of armed forces and other law-enforcement agencies from February 8. Executive magistrates will accompany them as mobile and striking forces. However, critics question whether these steps will be enough to prevent covert attacks and mob violence.
Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam sought to play down concerns, telling bdnews24.com: “There is no concern. Everything is normal.” Yet former Inspector General of Police Nurul Huda warned that visible improvement requires urgent action. “How much improvement can there be in one more month? Some progress is possible if manpower is increased, but a sense of risk will remain unless illegal weapons are recovered and criminals brought under the law,” he said.
Violence has continued in various forms. Following Hadi’s killing, mob attacks and arson targeted the offices of Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Chhayanaut and Udichi. In recent weeks, political activists have been shot dead in Dhaka, Chattogram and Gazipur; a hand-bomb explosion in Shariatpur killed three youths; and bomb-making materials were recovered from multiple locations. Mob violence has also claimed lives, including a lawyer beaten to death in Dhaka and a man lynched over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh.
Human-rights group Ain o Salish Kendra reported 401 incidents of political violence last year, leaving 102 people dead and nearly 4,800 injured. Concerns are further fuelled by unrecovered weapons looted during the 2024 Uprising. While Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 has recovered 236 firearms, more than 1,300 remain missing. A Supreme Court lawyer has petitioned the High Court to suspend the election until all stolen arms are recovered.
Political tensions are compounding security fears. A seat-sharing deadlock has fuelled mistrust within the newly formed 11-party Islamist alliance, while the BNP has accused the Election Commission of apathy and selective enforcement of the electoral code. BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the commission’s “indifference and silence” were obstructing the creation of a fair electoral environment.
The election timetable is now midway through appeals following nomination scrutiny, with final candidates to be confirmed on January 20. Former bureaucrat AKM Abdul Awal said the real test would come once full-scale campaigning begins. “Law and order is somewhat weak, with killings occurring almost daily. This needs to improve if public confidence is to return,” he said.
Election officials, however, maintain that enforcement mechanisms are in place. EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the situation was “comparatively good” and improving, while Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker vowed zero tolerance for violations of the code of conduct. Yet election reform advocate Jasmine Tuli warned that the commission’s presence and messaging had not been sufficiently strong, cautioning that risks would rise as rival campaigns intensify.
As Bangladesh enters the final stretch before polling day, the mood remains one of uneasy anticipation. Relief over official assurances sits alongside deep public unease over violence, political mistrust and the unresolved challenge of law and order. Whether the coming four weeks will be enough to restore confidence and deliver a credible election remains the defining question facing the nation.
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A growing sense of uncertainty is gripping Bangladeshis at home and abroad as the country moves towards its much-anticipated national election scheduled for February 12, amid a spike in killings, bomb blasts and mob violence, widening political rifts, and allegations of indifference by the Election Commission (EC).
With less than four weeks remaining, a pressing question is being asked ever more insistently—from club tables in Dhaka to dining rooms in Denmark: can the interim government maintain law and order sufficiently to hold a credible national election?
Public anxiety has deepened after the Election Commission itself acknowledged that recent killings, explosions and mob attacks have raised serious security concerns ahead of polling day. Discussions about the election’s fate now dominate everyday conversations across the country and among the Bangladeshi diaspora, reflecting a growing fear that violence and political mistrust could derail the process.
Over the past month, at least three political leaders and two members of minority communities have been reported killed in escalating pre-election violence. Based on verified media reports and human-rights documentation, between six and ten deaths linked directly to political and communal violence have been recorded in the last 30 days alone. Rights groups caution that this is a minimum estimate, as no comprehensive official data have yet been released.
The death of prominent activist Sharif Osman bin Hadi, who died in hospital after being shot, triggered nationwide protests and heightened tensions. Since then, sporadic violence and factional clashes have continued, even as the EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, insists it remains hopeful of a peaceful vote.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “We are somewhat concerned; killings are happening. Still, we are not discouraged. Inshallah, the environment will improve,” he said, adding that meetings had been held with the Home Ministry and senior law-enforcement officials to strengthen coordination.
The government has announced a range of security measures, including issuing arms licences and providing armed guards for political leaders, rewards for the recovery of illegal weapons, and the deployment of armed forces and other law-enforcement agencies from February 8. Executive magistrates will accompany them as mobile and striking forces. However, critics question whether these steps will be enough to prevent covert attacks and mob violence.
Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam sought to play down concerns, telling bdnews24.com: “There is no concern. Everything is normal.” Yet former Inspector General of Police Nurul Huda warned that visible improvement requires urgent action. “How much improvement can there be in one more month? Some progress is possible if manpower is increased, but a sense of risk will remain unless illegal weapons are recovered and criminals brought under the law,” he said.
Violence has continued in various forms. Following Hadi’s killing, mob attacks and arson targeted the offices of Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Chhayanaut and Udichi. In recent weeks, political activists have been shot dead in Dhaka, Chattogram and Gazipur; a hand-bomb explosion in Shariatpur killed three youths; and bomb-making materials were recovered from multiple locations. Mob violence has also claimed lives, including a lawyer beaten to death in Dhaka and a man lynched over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh.
Human-rights group Ain o Salish Kendra reported 401 incidents of political violence last year, leaving 102 people dead and nearly 4,800 injured. Concerns are further fuelled by unrecovered weapons looted during the 2024 Uprising. While Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 has recovered 236 firearms, more than 1,300 remain missing. A Supreme Court lawyer has petitioned the High Court to suspend the election until all stolen arms are recovered.
Political tensions are compounding security fears. A seat-sharing deadlock has fuelled mistrust within the newly formed 11-party Islamist alliance, while the BNP has accused the Election Commission of apathy and selective enforcement of the electoral code. BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the commission’s “indifference and silence” were obstructing the creation of a fair electoral environment.
The election timetable is now midway through appeals following nomination scrutiny, with final candidates to be confirmed on January 20. Former bureaucrat AKM Abdul Awal said the real test would come once full-scale campaigning begins. “Law and order is somewhat weak, with killings occurring almost daily. This needs to improve if public confidence is to return,” he said.
Election officials, however, maintain that enforcement mechanisms are in place. EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the situation was “comparatively good” and improving, while Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker vowed zero tolerance for violations of the code of conduct. Yet election reform advocate Jasmine Tuli warned that the commission’s presence and messaging had not been sufficiently strong, cautioning that risks would rise as rival campaigns intensify.
As Bangladesh enters the final stretch before polling day, the mood remains one of uneasy anticipation. Relief over official assurances sits alongside deep public unease over violence, political mistrust and the unresolved challenge of law and order. Whether the coming four weeks will be enough to restore confidence and deliver a credible election remains the defining question facing the nation.
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