A majority of voters in the country – 68.2% of women and 45.9% of men – are unaware of the Proportional Representation (PR) system or the concept of an upper house in parliament, according to a new survey.
The findings also reveal a high level of indecision among Gen Z voters when it comes to voting. About 23% of new or first-time voters admitted they have not yet given any thought to the upcoming election.
The survey titled “People’s Election Pulse Survey” was conducted by Innovision Consulting between 2 and 15 September, covering 10,413 voters across the country.
The findings were presented at a roundtable discussion held in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, on Monday.
On the other hand, the survey results regarding which political party is leading in the national election show varying trends across different regions of the country.
The BNP leads in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Khulna, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. In Rangpur, the Jamaat-e-Islami appears to be ahead, while in Barishal, 31.9% of respondents said they would be inclined to vote for the Awami League if the party contests the election.
Additionally, the findings highlight widespread concerns about fear and insecurity among minority community voters during the electoral process.
Experts at the discussion said such studies help understand the real standing of political parties, their popularity, the level of political engagement among women, and the need to raise awareness among Gen Z voters. They called for more frequent and in-depth research to guide democratic development.
30% voters satisfied with Jamaat, 21% with BNP
The survey also reveals that 30.4% of voters are satisfied with the local political activities of the Jamaat-e-Islami, while 23.7% expressed satisfaction with the NCP, and 21% with the BNP.
Among those satisfied, 13.7% reported being completely satisfied with Jamaat’s activities, and 16.7% were very satisfied. For the BNP, 8.2% were completely satisfied, and 12.8% were very satisfied. Regarding the NCP, 9.1% expressed complete satisfaction, while 13.8% were very satisfied.
When it comes to moderate satisfaction, 17% of respondents were moderately satisfied with Jamaat, 18.4% with BNP, and 17.4% with NCP.
In terms of dissatisfaction, the BNP led with 27.6% of voters expressing discontent with its local political activities, followed by Jamaat at 19.7% and NCP at 17%.
