A recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh revealed that a significant majority of candidates in the 13th national election surpassed the legal campaign expenditure limit. The survey, conducted on 210 candidates across 70 randomly selected seats, highlighted various violations of election codes.
The report, titled “13th National Election Process Tracking and Affidavits: TIB Observations,” was presented at a press conference at TIB’s Dhanmondi office. The average legal spending limit per candidate was found to be Tk 44.24 lakh.
Notably, the average total expenditure per candidate for the BNP in these 70 seats exceeded the limit by 327%, with 94% of the party’s candidates surpassing their limits. Independent candidates spent an average of Tk 1.76 crore per candidate, surpassing the cap by 315.2%.
Other parties also exceeded the legal limits, with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Party, and National Citizen Party candidates spending significantly more than allowed. Violations of electoral code clauses were widespread, including exceeding expenditure limits and conducting campaigns inside religious institutions.
The TIB report highlighted instances of violence and harassment during the election period, indicating a shift from healthy to unhealthy competition as election day approached. Despite the Election Commission’s efforts, limitations hindered full control over irregularities by political parties and independent candidates.
The report emphasized the need for political parties to reflect on creating a truly level playing field, addressing issues such as money misuse, religious influence, and power dynamics. TIB also raised concerns about biased media coverage, pointing out disproportionate airtime given to certain political parties on state-run television.
Additionally, the report noted the composition of the new parliament, highlighting a decrease in directly elected women since 2008 and a low representation of youth. The parliamentarians were found to be highly educated, with a significant number having substantial net worth and loan burdens. Land ownership details of candidates were also disclosed, with notable figures owning substantial land assets.
