Bangladesh is heading towards the most expensive vote in its electoral history, with the combined cost of the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum estimated at Tk3,150 crore, more than Tk1,000 crore higher than the previous election.
Compared with the 11th general election held in 2018, overall expenditure has increased by about 350 percent. The Election Commission has attributed the sharp rise to the addition of a referendum and postal ballots alongside the parliamentary polls.
According to EC sources, the law-and-order sector accounts for the largest share of the projected expenditure. Preliminary estimates put spending in this sector at Tk1,200 crore, with the figure likely to rise further.
The Ansar force is receiving the highest allocation at Tk544.23 crore, followed by the police at Tk270.21 crore. A total of Tk185.25 crore has been allocated for the three services, of which the Bangladesh Army will receive Tk148.58 crore, the Navy Tk23.37 crore and the Air Force Tk13.30 crore.
Other allocations include Tk100.17 crore for Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Tk33.70 crore for the Coast Guard, Tk21.77 crore for RAB, Tk15.80 crore for village police, Tk1 crore for the Fire Service, Tk52 lakh for NTMC, Tk55 lakh for the Armed Forces Division, Tk2 crore for DGFI and Tk40 lakh for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Total spending in the law-and-order sector so far stands at Tk1,175 crore.
EC has earmarked another Tk1,200 crore for election administration. Sources say Tk730 crore will go towards daily allowances for forces, officials and employees, Tk298 crore for fuel for government vehicles, Tk201 crore for hired vehicles, Tk581 crore for procurement of goods, Tk515 crore for honorariums, Tk162 crore for equipment and accessories, and Tk108 crore for printing and binding.
Additional allocations include Tk109 crore for travel allowances, Tk103 crore for advertising and publicity, Tk184 crore for hospitality, Tk80 crore for transport costs, and Tk31 crore for wages of irregular workers.
Beyond the EC’s own spending, several ministries are drawing funds from the commission in the name of referendum campaigning. Sources say the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has taken Tk46 crore, the Ministry of Information Tk4.52 crore, the Ministry of Religious Affairs Tk6.98 crore, the Ministry of Social Welfare Tk4.52 crore, and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Tk4.34 crore.
The EC’s public relations wing is separately spending Tk4 crore on referendum publicity.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has also taken Tk70 crore from the EC to purchase CCTV cameras, while the cost of printing referendum ballots has been estimated at Tk40 crore.
Nearly 1.5 million expatriate voters from 123 countries have registered to vote through postal ballots, with the government spending an average of Tk700 per ballot. More than a million presiding and polling officers are being trained, a programme that will end four to five days before polling day, at a cost of about Tk7 crore.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, EC officials said the commission has received a budget of Tk3,150 crore to organise the parliamentary election and referendum, which covers ballot papers, manpower, transport, stationery and other election materials.
Law and order agencies had sought Tk1,400 crore, but a preliminary allocation of Tk1,200 crore was approved, with scope for additional procurement of funds if required.
They also noted that ministries drawing EC funds for referendum campaigning is unprecedented, with government institutions taking nearly Tk100 crore under the banner of publicity.
Commenting on the rising costs, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud told TIMES of Bangladesh that he personally supports reducing election expenditure.
“We tried to cut expenses, but costs have increased due to the referendum and postal voting,” he said, adding that spending has also risen because ministries are now routing funds through the EC.
Election expenditure in past polls
The estimated cost of the 12th parliamentary election held on 7 January 2024 was Tk2,276.22 crore, including Tk1,225.62 crore for law and order and Tk1,050.60 crore for election management, although actual spending stood at Tk1,927 crore, according to the EC.
The 11th parliamentary election in 2018 cost more than Tk700 crore, while the 10th election in 2014 cost Tk264.68 crore, including Tk81.55 crore for election management and Tk183 crore for law and order, with polling held in only 147 constituencies as 153 seats went uncontested.
Earlier elections cost Tk165 crore in 2008, Tk72.71 crore in 2001, Tk11.47 crore in June 1996, Tk37 crore in February 1996, Tk24.37 crore in 1991, Tk5.15 crore in 1988, Tk5.16 crore in 1986, Tk2.52 crore in 1979, and Tk81.36 lakh in the first parliamentary election held on 7 March 1973.
