A significant number of candidates contesting the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election carry substantial financial liabilities, with business emerging as the dominant profession among aspirants.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed the findings at a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday.
According to the organisation, 1,981 candidates from 51 political parties are competing for seats in the election, scheduled for 12 February.
Of them, 249 are independents, approximately 13 percent, while 1,732 are contesting under party symbols.
Based on an analysis of election affidavits, TIB reported that 25.5 percent of candidates carry outstanding loans or financial liabilities, amounting to a total of Tk 18,868.52 crore.
Among the 10 major parties analyzed, BNP tops the list, with 59.41 percent of its candidates reporting debt.
Independent candidates rank second at 32.79 percent, followed by the Jatiya Party (26.97 percent), the Communist Party of Bangladesh (25 percent), and Jamaat-e-Islami (22.26 percent).
The analysis also highlighted the professional background of candidates.
Business remains the dominant occupation, with 48 percent identifying as businesspersons.
Other common professions include lawyers (12.61 percent) and teachers (11.56 percent), while only 1.56 percent list politics as their primary profession.
Millionaire and billionaire candidates are also on the rise. TIB classified 891 candidates as millionaires, possessing movable and immovable assets worth Tk 1 crore or more, including 27 billionaires with assets exceeding Tk100crore.
The watchdog noted that this election sees the highest proportion of candidates from Islamist parties in the past five national elections, accounting for over 36 percent of total candidates.
Female participation remains below the targeted 5 percent, continuing a trend from previous elections.
On the legal front, 530 candidates, 22.66 percent of the total, are currently face criminal cases, while 740, or 31.64 percent, have faced legal cases in the past.
Although the proportion of candidates with ongoing cases has declined compared to the previous election, TIB cautioned that the figures remain alarming.
Addressing the media, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman criticized the Election Commission (EC) for allegedly allowing loan defaulters to contest, accusing the body of collusion that undermines its constitutional duties.
TIB also claimed to have evidence of candidates concealing dual citizenship information.
According to TIB, although the proportion of indebted candidates is lower than in previous elections, the total outstanding loans have reached a record high, with bank loans alone amounting to Tk 17,471.67 crore.
The report underscores ongoing concerns over financial transparency, legal accountability, and the growing influence of business interests in national politics.
