The government has acknowledged electoral tensions and sporadic violence ahead of the upcoming elections but remains firm in its resolve to hold the polls as scheduled, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Sunday.
Speaking at a certificate-awarding ceremony for a training programme for diplomatic correspondents at a city hotel, Touhid Hossain said electoral tensions are not unusual in Bangladesh and that no election in the country’s history has been entirely free of unrest.
“No election has been completely peaceful,” he said, adding that the government is working to contain violence and prevent further escalation. “There is some instability, but efforts are underway to resolve conflicts so that the election can be conducted properly.”
He said much of the violence stems from individual-level clashes rather than organised directives from political parties. Candidates, he noted, often struggle to accept defeat, which can trigger confrontations among supporters even without party instructions.
“In many cases, these clashes occur at a personal level,” he said. “People do not always accept losing an election easily, and that creates tensions on the ground.”
Referendum campaign
Addressing the ongoing referendum campaign, the foreign adviser said public opinion is shaped more by party allegiance than by close examination of reform proposals or conditions linked to the referendum.
“Most citizens do not analyse the issues in depth,” he said. “They tend to follow party positions. If a party supports the ‘yes’ vote, its supporters usually do the same.”
He said confusion initially arose due to mixed signals within the BNP, as some local leaders publicly favoured a ‘no’ vote while the central leadership remained silent. That ambiguity, he added, has now been resolved after the BNP president formally endorsed the ‘yes’ position.
With major political parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP, now backing the ‘yes’ vote, the government expects broad public participation and a favourable outcome, he said.
Foreign observations
Touhid Hossain also addressed concerns raised by foreign governments and diplomats over the electoral environment. He described foreign missions commenting on Bangladesh’s internal political affairs as a long-standing practice.
“I don’t blame foreign diplomats,” he said. “There is a strong expectation among a large segment of society that diplomats will speak out on political developments.”
He suggested such comments often reflect domestic political dynamics as much as international concern, as diplomats respond to local expectations as part of their engagement with Bangladesh.
Voter turnout
On voter participation, the adviser expressed optimism, saying turnout could surpass that of the 1991 election, when about 55 percent of voters cast ballots.
“I expect voter turnout to remain strong,” he said, adding that public engagement remains high despite tensions and political uncertainty.
He said the government remains focused on moving the electoral process forward while managing security challenges and addressing both domestic and international concerns.
