Political parties across Bangladesh are operating as high-stakes “power-centred business models” where parliamentary nominations are secretly traded for up to Tk50 crore, a new study by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has revealed.
Presenting its research report, Institutional Governance of Political Parties in Bangladesh, at the MIDAS Centre in Dhanmondi on Sunday, the anti-graft watchdog exposed systemic financial opacity, entrenched dynastic rule, and a total absence of internal democracy across 32 registered and unregistered political organisations, including the ruling BNP, the now-banned Awami League, and the Jatiya Party.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman shredded official denials of nomination trading, pointing directly to disclosures made by party representatives themselves.
He highlighted a staggering chasm between actual campaign spending and declared party finances, noting that whilst individual candidates routinely spend crores of taka during parliamentary elections, entire parties submit annual financial statements of just Tk20 crore to Tk25 crore to the Election Commission.
This persistent financial opacity allows informal transactions, undisclosed payments, and illegal financing to flourish completely beyond public scrutiny.
The report’s financial projections lay bare an explosive, systemic deficit between real-world operational costs and legitimate membership income.
Maintaining the minimum organisational network required for registration, spanning offices in 22 districts and 101 upazilas, costs between Tk14 crore and Tk25 crore annually, compared to a maximum potential subscription income of just Tk26 lakh.
As party operations expand across all districts, metropolitan areas, upazilas, municipalities, and unions, annual running costs escalate to between Tk332 crore and Tk393 crore, against potential membership dues of Tk38 crore.
For major parties with grassroots networks extending down to the ward level, annual operational expenditure skyrockets to between Tk1,532 crore and Tk2,188 crore, while official subscription revenues stand at a paltry Tk116 crore.
Iftekharuzzaman warned that this overwhelming reliance on informal, individual-controlled funding leaves political parties heavily dependent on wealthy patrons and commercial interests, normalising the influence of money and muscle power while systematically undermining governance and public accountability.
Beyond shadow bankrolls, the study exposed an ecosystem dominated by permanent leaders and family dynasties.
TIB identified family-centred leadership in 10 major parties, including the Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, Zaker Party, Bangladesh Muslim League, National People’s Party, Bangladesh NAP, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, JAGPA, and Bangladesh Justice Party.
An analysis of leadership tenures across the 32 surveyed organisations showed that 12 party chiefs had held office for at least a decade, with seven remaining in power for more than 20 years.
The leader of the Awami League held the top position for 45 years, whilst the BNP leader retained it for 41 years.
TIB also explicitly identified the BNP as having failed to hold a formal national council session for over a decade.
The report noted that irregular councils and weak constitutional provisions prevent dedicated grassroots activists from rising through the ranks, leaving local committees to simply execute central directives and manage routine election campaigns without having any influence over party policy or overall strategy.
Critical weaknesses were also uncovered within party constitutions and candidate selection procedures.
Key political groups, such as Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, Nagorik Oikya, and Rashtra Sanskar Andolon, lack constitutional provisions defining the tenure or formation of central or local committees, whilst the Communist Party of Bangladesh allows its central committee to determine local body formation procedures arbitrarily.
Furthermore, a 2013 amendment to the Representation of the People Order, which removed the requirement for parliamentary candidates to have been active party members for at least three years, remains in force, enabling wealthy outsiders to effectively buy their way onto election ballots.
Meanwhile, female participation remains largely symbolic despite statutory obligations and public commitments.
Expressing deep disappointment that the high expectations of the July uprising had not been met, Iftekharuzzaman warned that power-driven politics, black money, and internal disputes continue to spark violent factional conflicts, particularly at the local level.
Calling for urgent internal structural reforms, he urged political leaders to look in the mirror and take immediate responsibility for restoring financial transparency, democratic governance, and public trust.
