The shadow of violence loomed large over Bangladesh’s elections, as revealed by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) in a damning report covering October 2025 to February 14, 2026. Ten perished, 2,503 were wounded in over 700 incidents, painting a troubling portrait of electoral instability.
Unveiled amid tense media scrutiny at Jatiya Press Club, the ‘Election and Referendum Observation Report’ stems from HRSS’s robust network: 565 observers in 64 districts tracked 1,733 voting centers and 347 counts. Director Mohammad Ijazul Islam decried the exclusion of 48 observers from count rooms by officials and supporters—clear legal breaches.
A silver lining: February 12 voting passed without deaths, deemed mostly peaceful. Yet, 21 polling venues showed foul play—takeovers, blocks, faked ballots, pre-stamped foils, concealed outcomes.
Polling chaos hit 393 marks: 149 center issues, 105 supporter melees, 59 stuffings, 19 ejections, 13 lapses, 18 intimidations, six attacks, three snatches, two blazes, 31 others; 145 hospitalized.
Responses tallied 50 cuffs, 13 removals, 55 sentences, five media injuries, three cancellations, 64 AI lies. Broader timeline: December 11, 2025-February 11, 2026 saw 254 attacks, five slain, 1,650 maimed, 24 shot, 200+ ransacked.
Rivalries ruled: 68 BNP self-clashes (595 hurt, 3 dead); 100 BNP-Jamaat (915 injured, 1 killed); cross-party brawls galore. Post-poll, 30 districts boiled with 200+ fights, 300+ wounds, 350 arsons/vandalisms, three fatalities.
Women endured 32 targeted assaults—45 distressed, 23 hurt; 31 BNP-implicated. This chronicle of carnage calls for sweeping reforms, ensuring elections reflect voter will, not battlefield tolls.