Dhaka’s streets have turned into battlegrounds in the wake of Bangladesh’s recent general elections, with a chilling report revealing the scale of post-poll violence. Human rights group Odhikar has documented 104 incidents between February 13 and 28, resulting in 10 deaths and 476 injuries. Local media outlets, citing the report, painted a grim picture of escalating clashes that threaten the nation’s fragile democracy.
The data, released under Odhikar’s project ‘Assistance to Restore Democracy: Monitoring and Reporting Bangladesh Electoral Violence,’ was supported by the European Partnership for Democracy. Among the flashpoints, 28% of incidents—29 in total—stemmed from infighting within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its splinter factions. These brutal confrontations claimed four lives and left 136 people wounded.
Victims cut across political lines: BNP activists, Jamaat-e-Islami supporters, Awami League backers, independents aligned with BNP, and innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Khulna Division bore the brunt, recording three fatalities and 191 injuries. Rajshahi and Barishal each saw two deaths, while Dhaka reported one death and 90 injuries. Chittagong and Mymensingh divisions each had one casualty.
Odhikar’s direct observations in 50 constituencies uncovered 32 events across 17 areas, including five deaths and 41 injuries. Khulna-3 constituency topped the injury charts. Incidents ranged from beatings and intimidation to property destruction, including a nighttime attack on a Hindu temple in Sylhet.
Government response was uneven: 44% of cases saw some police action like investigations or crowd control, but many went unaddressed. Odhikar urges authorities to launch impartial probes, bolster public safety—especially for vulnerable groups—and implement early warning systems to curb future violence. Strengthening internal party conflict management and sustained post-election monitoring are key recommendations to restore calm and prevent recurrence.