In a shocking revelation from Bangladesh’s recent 13th national parliamentary elections, 43 newly elected members of parliament are embroiled in murder cases. This disturbing statistic comes from data compiled by prominent citizens’ organization Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), as reported by local media outlets.
According to The Daily Star, a leading Dhaka newspaper, 42 of these lawmakers were already facing such charges prior to the polls, with 12 having both pending and past cases against them. The analysis paints a grim picture of the criminal underbelly within the country’s political elite.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which secured a significant victory, tops the list with 50.24% of its MPs currently facing active criminal cases. Close behind is the hardline Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, where 47.07% of elected representatives are saddled with ongoing legal battles.
Overall, 142 MPs have pending legal matters, while 185 have faced charges in the past. Notably, around 95 lawmakers are dealing with both current and historical accusations. Shujan’s chief coordinator, Dilip Kumar Sarkar, unveiled these figures during a detailed analysis of elected MPs’ affidavits in Dhaka.
Comparatively, the number of legal cases against winners has surged since the 12th election. Education levels among the 297 elected MPs remain concerning: only eight hold PhDs, 138 have postgraduate degrees, 93 are graduates, 20 completed higher secondary (HSC), and 17 stopped at secondary (SSC) levels.
Occupationally, 182 MPs (61.28%) are involved in business, down slightly from 66.89% in the previous polls. Lawyers number 36, teachers 22, farmers 13, and eight list politics as their profession. Five have government or private service backgrounds, with 27 in other fields.
Wealth disparities are stark in asset declarations: 271 MPs own property exceeding 1 crore taka, and 187 surpass 5 crore taka. Among BNP’s 209 MPs, 201 fall into the 1-crore-plus category, while 52 of Jamaat’s 68 do the same. The report highlights how affluent candidates dominated, with 55.63% of total contenders being crorepatis, a trend amplified among winners, signaling declining participation from less wealthy segments.
Despite isolated incidents, the February 12 elections and referendum passed largely peacefully, according to the findings.