As Bangladesh gears up for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections on February 12, a curious motif has emerged in political discourse: calls to go to polling stations after Tahajjud prayers or stand in line immediately after Fajr.
Across election rallies, party leaders have urged their supporters to rise before dawn and position themselves at voting centres, turning the act of queuing into a ritual infused with political symbolism.
At a rally in Mymensingh on Tuesday, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman told supporters to perform Tahajjud prayers before heading to polling stations, and to offer Fajr prayers in congregation at the centre before voting. “Take everyone with you to offer Fajr prayers in front of the polling station. And it will not be possible to leave immediately after voting; you have to stay and ensure votes are not stolen,” he said. The crowd responded enthusiastically to his call for vigilance.
Tarique explained the rationale behind these unusual instructions: years of alleged electoral manipulation have left voters wary. “Earlier, various people looted our votes. This time, we must remain alert so that no one can steal our votes,” he told supporters, linking faith, civic duty, and electoral vigilance. Similar statements appeared in his speeches in Habiganj and other districts, where he repeatedly urged early-morning presence at polling stations, describing it as crucial to safeguarding democracy.
The calls have sparked reactions across the political spectrum. Leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led ten-party alliance have echoed the emphasis on guarding polling stations, though with their own framing. In rallies in Magura, Jhalakathi, and Patuakhali, their leaders assured supporters that no one would be allowed to “snatch” votes, and stressed that polling centres must not be left unmonitored.
NCP convener Nahid Islam criticised the BNP, accusing the party of attempting to occupy centres early in the morning and plotting to “seal” stations before voting begins.
Amid the rhetoric, election experts caution against literal interpretation. Former Additional Secretary of the Election Commission Jasmine Tully explained that voters can arrive early, but legal voting cannot begin before 7:30am, when polling officially opens. Standing in line hours earlier does not grant the right to cast a ballot.
Dr Abdul Alim, another election analyst, noted that references to Tahajjud or Fajr are largely motivational: they encourage supporters to come early, while also serving as a tactic to energise voters and project political strength.
The backdrop to these statements is a history of controversy in Bangladesh’s elections. Opposition parties have long raised concerns about vote rigging, ballot box manipulation, and so-called “night votes,” particularly in the 2014 and 2024 polls, when many boycotted the elections. Even in 2018, allegations of pre-stuffed ballots lingered in political memory. In this context, early-morning vigilance at polling stations has become a symbolic strategy, intertwining religious observance with civic engagement.
This year, the Election Commission has set strict protocols: each station will serve around 3,000 voters, divided into rooms averaging 500 male and 400 female voters. Security will be tight, with roughly 900,000 law enforcement personnel deployed nationwide, complemented by CCTV and body cameras. Despite these measures, political leaders are framing early presence as both a duty and a demonstration of unity, a blend of ritual, strategy, and political theatre.
Whether Tahajjud and Fajr will become fixtures of Bangladesh’s election day or remain emblematic slogans remains to be seen. What is clear is that in a country where elections are inseparable from history, memory, and mistrust, even the timing of when to queue at a polling station can become a charged act of political expression.
Source: BBC Bangla