In January 2024, Bangladesh will hold a parliamentary election for 300 seats in its national legislative body, the Jatiya Sangsad (JS). These elections occur every five years and are administered by the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC). The political party that secures a majority of seats in the JS gains the right to appoint the prime minister. The 50 remaining seats in the legislature, which are reserved for women, are assigned proportionally based on parties’ overall performance in the polls. The incumbent Awami League (AL) is led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has held power since 2009 and is seeking to be reelected for a fourth time. The AL has consolidated power through sustained harassment of the opposition, and the main opposition faction, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is boycotting the election and demanding that a caretaker government oversee the voting process, citing the EC’s lack of independence. Several members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami party, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist political faction, are expected to run in the election as independents, along with other members of smaller parties.

Bangladesh’s last election in 2018 was characterized by harassment, violence, and arrests throughout the election cycle, notably of the opposition and government critics, making it difficult for opposition candidates to campaign freely and hold political rallies. The BNP claimed that 6,000 of its supporters and 10 of its candidates were arrested ahead of the election. One of those arrested was Khaleda Zia, the BNP’s leader, who was convicted and jailed on corruption charges and later banned from participating as an electoral candidate, which significantly harmed the party’s competitiveness on voting day. The BNP also accused AL supporters and law enforcement agents of ballot stuffing and polling station intimidation. Moreover, the government’s failure to issue visas and credentials to most international and domestic election monitoring missions effectively prevented independent observation.

Political violence has continued in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. At recent BNP rallies, at which participants demanded Prime Minister Hasina’s resignation and that the election be held under a caretaker government, police arrested and injured thousands of attendees. The possibility of another election cycle marred by harassment and violence has concerned several democratic countries and bodies, including the United States, Japan, the European Union (EU), and United Nations, who have called upon the government to conduct the upcoming vote with integrity. The United States also announced a new policy to restrict visas “for any Bangladeshi individual believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh” in hopes of promoting a free and fair election.

While polls show that most Bangladeshis approve of the prime minister, the opposition’s approval ratings have risen as voters have become increasingly frustrated by the country’s economic crisis, inflation rate, and endemic corruption.  The election’s outcome could have far-reaching impacts on Bangladesh’s domestic politics: if the upcoming vote is not conducted in a free and fair manner, Bangladesh could endure another five years of polarization and political violence.

Freedom House has identified the following as key digital interference issues to watch ahead of election day:

• Social media and website blocks: Social media platforms, websites, and online news outlets that are critical of the government or supported by opposition parties are often blocked by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), especially during politically tense periods. In December 2018, the BTRC blocked 58 news sites for publishing “fake news” ahead of the last election. More recently, in January 2023, the BTRC canceled 191 news website domains for allegedly publishing “misleading antistate content.” Similarly, in June 2023, Bangladeshi authorities closed down the offices of two privately owned social media–based platforms, CplusTV and C Vision, and seized their broadcasting equipment, stifling their coverage of political and human rights ahead of the upcoming election.  Authorities have also restricted access to other social media platforms, including Facebook and Facebook Messenger, during periods of political unrest. These restrictions, which limit access to voting information and opportunities for political discussion, are expected to increase, as the BTRC aims to enact several new expansive censorship laws before election day, including the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Regulation for Digital Social Media and OTT Platforms, 2021.
• Internet shutdowns: Partial restrictions of internet and communication services during protests, elections, and tense political moments have become common in Bangladesh. Throughout the previous election period in 2018, the BTRC throttled mobile services and made both third and fourth generation (3G and 4G) service for mobile devices unavailable in the run up to and on election day. Similarly, since August 2022, there have been several reports of internet throttling as the BNP and its affiliates launched nationwide protests in response to inflation and corruption. In October and November 2022, the BTRC reportedly ordered mobile service providers to shut down 3G and 4G service during major opposition rallies. Should such restrictions continue, online and in-person political discussions and rallies will be curtailed, and journalists, civil society members, and election observers’ ability to report on the election will be hindered.
• Harassment and intimidation: Journalists, activists, and opposition politicians who speak out against the government are subject to harassment and intimidation both online and offline. In the first three months of 2023, 56 journalists were reportedly targeted, harassed, and threatened by the AL and its supporters for their online reporting that criticized the government. Ahead of the upcoming elections, several journalists have been assaulted while reporting, including at political rallies.  As a result, a fear of assault is contributing to the country’s growing self-censorship, and the suppression of critical voices is limiting access to independent and diverse information ahead of election day.
• Arrests and prosecutions for online activity: Members of opposition parties, the media, and civil society who criticize the government online are regularly arrested and imprisoned under the Digital Security Act (DSA). Between January 2020 and February 2022, at least 2,244 individuals were reportedly accused of violating the DSA, with the majority identifying as politicians, followed by journalists. A 2021 survey of 668 DSA cases found that a majority were filed by AL activists against critics of the party’s leaders. Similarly, in May 2023 alone, 27 the of 28 individuals arrested under the DSA were affiliated with the BNP. Since the judicial process moves slowly in DSA cases, those arrested under the act often undergo long pretrial detention periods. These legal repercussions also contribute to the country’s growing self-censorship and could limit transparency around the election.

Bangladesh has a score of 41 out of 100, with 100 representing the least vulnerability in terms of election integrity, on Freedom House’s Election Vulnerability Index, which is based on a selection of key election-related indicators. The score reflects a restrictive online and offline environment for opposition groups, civil society organizations, and journalists; a history of content removal that is critical of the government; and network interference and restricted connectivity during political events. The country is rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2023, with a score of 40 out of 100 with respect to its political rights and civil liberties and Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2022, with an internet freedom score of 43 out of 100. To learn more about these annual Freedom House assessments, please visit the Bangladesh country reports in Freedom in the World and Freedom on the Net.

Source Freedom House. For the original artcile click here.