Beyond the Ballot Box: 13th Election Analysis

Analysis Report

Beyond the Ballot Box

Evaluating Accountability in the 13th Parliamentary Election

👤 Minhaz Samad Chowdhury

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Independent Human Rights Defender

The conclusion of the 13th Parliamentary Election has been met with a narrative of "acceptable participation." However, a deeper interrogation reveals that while overt "election engineering" has subsided, structural barriers to a truly open democracy remain stubbornly intact.

🔍 The Illusion of Transparency

The introduction of the "Know Your Candidate" dashboard was a step forward, but transparency without verification is merely a performance. While the law mandates disclosure, our analysis exposes a systematic concealment of truth regarding foreign assets and citizenships.

The Verification Gap

• ❌ EC, NBR, & ACC failed to cross-check affidavits.
• ❌ Candidates hid foreign citizenships & holdings.
• ❌ Result: A state-sanctioned "License to Lie".

Step 1: Policy RPO Mandates Disclosure

⬇

Step 2: Action "Know Your Candidate" Dashboard

⬇ BLOCKED ⬇

Reality Check Verification Failure & Asset Concealment

State Neutrality & The Enforcement Gap

The law has been rendered a mere suggestion. With administrative neutrality inconsistent and enforcement virtually non-existent, the safety of the electoral process was compromised.

Code of Conduct Adherence

Percentage of candidates who violated at least one electoral rule.

99% Violation Rate

Post-Election Instability

Violence recorded in just 70 sample constituencies.

Human Rights Impact: Systematic targeting of female independent candidates and eviction of polling agents.

Money & Muscle

The 13th Election remains a playground for the elite. The democratic process is captive to capital, silencing the working class and marginalized communities. Furthermore, structural neglect of persons with disabilities continues despite repeated promises.

891 Millionaire Candidates

~50% Business Interest Share

Candidate Pool Composition

📂

Data Privacy Breach

Personal information of 14,000 journalists leaked, posing a direct threat to the Fourth Estate.

💸

Slip Fund Misuse

UNOs issued informal instructions for "Slip Fund" withdrawal, indicating local-level state misappropriation.

♿

Exclusion

Denial of interpreters and accessible polling stations for persons with disabilities despite assurances.

A Call for Democratic Accountability

We do not just need a ballot that counts; we need a state that accounts. Our focus must shift from the process of voting to the integrity of the institutions that govern it.

Data Source: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Feb 16, 2026.
Analysis by Minhaz Samad Chowdhury.