The 13th national parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on February 12. Amid the election-focused atmosphere, concerns over security remain high among members of minority communities. Only 23.4 per cent of minority voters say they feel completely safe, while 50.7 per cent have expressed concern, and 25.8 per cent consider participation in voting to be unsafe or extremely unsafe.
These findings were revealed on Sunday (February 8) with the release of a research report titled “From Pledges to Practice: Political Inclusion and Democratic Accountability in Bangladesh’s Election 2026” by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at a hotel in the capital.
The event was attended by economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, Dr Selim Jahan, and SUJAN Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar. Politicians, academics, economists, representatives of civil society, media professionals, and members of minority communities were also present. The findings of the report were presented by CGS researcher Zillur Rahman.
According to CGS, the survey was conducted among 505 minority respondents from different regions of the country to collect data on voting behaviour, political awareness, sense of security, and political representation.
The survey found that 57.2 per cent of respondents said they would inform polling officials if they encountered irregularities during voting. Meanwhile, 47.4 per cent said they would lodge complaints with the local administration, and 42.6 per cent would notify law enforcement agencies. However, 20.3 per cent said they would remain silent without taking any action. Only 13.7 per cent said they would participate in protests, 12.5 per cent would inform the media, and 11.2 per cent said they would raise the issue on social media.
The findings also show that the tendency to file complaints regarding political harassment or threats is extremely low. About 70.7 per cent of respondents said they had never faced a situation that required filing a complaint. Among those who had experienced threats or violence, 22 per cent deliberately avoided reporting the incidents.
Even when complaints were made, they were largely confined to personal or social circles. Only 1.9 per cent reported incidents to the Election Commission, while just 1.5 per cent filed complaints with police stations.
Fear of further harm after lodging a complaint was identified as the biggest deterrent. About 48.7 per cent of respondents believe that reporting incidents could expose them to greater risks in the future, while 28.6 per cent cited a lack of trust in the legal system.
In response to questions about why incidents of political violence often go unreported, multiple factors emerged. The most common reason, cited by 48.7 per cent, was insecurity. Additionally, 32.8 per cent feared social humiliation or stigma if their identities were disclosed.
Another 29.7 per cent said they did not receive adequate support from their families, society, or law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile, 28.6 per cent expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the legal system, and 20.2 per cent believed that the political and social influence of opposing parties made filing complaints futile.
Among respondents who witnessed electoral irregularities but took no action, 55.8 per cent said fear of physical or psychological harm to themselves or their family members was the primary reason for remaining silent. Meanwhile, 43.3 per cent expressed fear of police harassment or legal complications. An equal proportion said they avoided involvement to maintain “personal peace.”
The survey further found that 15.4 per cent believe filing complaints would not lead to justice or remedies, while 9.6 per cent questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission. These findings indicate deep-rooted distrust among minority communities toward the country’s electoral system.