Transparency Inter-national Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday released an analytical report scrutinising affidavits submitted by candidates contesting the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Elections 2026, identifying inconsistencies over dual citizenship, vast disparities in declared assets and liabilities, criminal cases, educational qualifications, professions and the persistently low participation of women.
WATCHDOG FINDINGS
* 891 candidates are millionaires
* 27 candidates have assets worth hundreds of crores of taka
* 21+2 candidates have dual citizenship
* 25pc candidates declared debt amounting to
Tk 18,868.52m
* 59pc of BNP candidates carry debt or liabilities
* 76pc of candidates hold bachelor's or master's degrees
* 48pc of candidates businessmen
* 13pc legal profession
* 12pc teaching
The report-titled "Candidate Identity in Affidavits: An Analysis of Affidavits of Candidates Participating in the Upcoming Thirteenth National Parliamentary Elections 2026"-was unveiled alongside the launch of TIB's KYC dashboard at a press conference at the organisation's Dhaka office. TIB official Mohammad Touhidul Islam presented the findings, while Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman addressed governance, legal and institutional implications.
Dual citizenship concernsDr Iftekharuzzaman said that 23 candidates disclosed in their affidavits that they had renounced dual citizenship. However, TIB has credible information that "at least two candidates either had or still have dual citizenship, despite not mentioning it in their affidavits."
Citing organisational policy, he refrained from naming the individuals, stating: "We are unable to identify them publicly due to TIB policy. We will share the information with the relevant authorities." He stressed that nondisclosure of such constitutionally relevant information raises questions of affidavit integrity and electoral accountability.
Surge of millionaire candidatesAccording to TIB's analysis of declared movable and immovable assets at current market value, 891 candidates qualify as millionaires, while 27 candidates have assets worth hundreds of crores of taka. Of these hundred-crore-plus candidates, 18 are from the BNP and nine are independent, although at least two independents have since withdrawn their nominations.
Among BNP candidates, the highest declared assets include Md Aminul Islam (about Tk 620 crore), Abdul Awal Mintu of Feni-3 (over Tk 607 crore), Md Zakir Hossain Sarkar of Kushtia-3 (over Tk 581 crore), Mohammad Aslam Chowdhury of Chattogram-4 (around Tk 473 crore), and Fakhr Uddin Ahmed of Mymensingh-11 (about Tk 300 crore). Several others reported assets ranging between Tk 100 crore and Tk 292 crore across constituencies including Cumilla, Bogura, Chandpur, Shariatpur, Dhaka, Moulvibazar, Lakshmipur, Manikganj, Chuadanga and Rangpur.
Among independents, SSK Ekramuzzaman of Brahmanbaria-1-who later withdrew-declared assets exceeding Tk 499 crore, followed by Salahuddin Alamgir of Tangail-8 (over Tk 283 crore), M A H Selim of Bagerhat-1 and 2 (about Tk 263 crore), and several others with assets between Tk 121 crore and Tk 188 crore.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman further alleged serious nondisclosure of overseas assets. "One candidate has assets worth Tk 2.1 billion in England, which were not disclosed in the affidavit," he said, adding that "another candidate declared that neither he nor his wife owns assets abroad, yet his wife has a flat in Dubai."
Debt and liabilitiesThe report notes that 25.5 percent of all candidates have declared some form of debt or liability, amounting to a cumulative Tk 18,868.52 million. While the proportion of indebted candidates is the lowest compared to the last five elections, "the total debt amount is the highest," TIB observed.
By party breakdown, 59.41 percent of BNP candidates carry debt or liabilities, followed by about 33 percent of independents, around 27 percent of Jatiya Party candidates, 25 percent from the Communist Party of Bangladesh, and 22.26 percent from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
Criminal casesTIB's analysis shows that 530 candidates-22.66 percent of the total-currently face criminal cases, while 740 candidates, or 31.64 percent, have had cases filed against them in the past. The organisation underscored the implications for rule of law and political ethics.
Education and professionIn terms of educational attainment, 76.42 percent of candidates hold bachelor's or master's degrees, with postgraduates accounting for 47.98 percent and graduates 28.37 percent. Higher secondary pass candidates make up 8.94 percent, while just over 6 percent have secondary-level education. TIB noted that this is the highest proportion of graduates and postgraduates recorded across the last five parliamentary elections.
Professionally, more than 48 percent of candidates identify as businessmen, followed by those in the legal profession (12.61 percent) and teaching (about 12 percent). Smaller proportions come from service and agriculture, while only 1.56 percent listed politics as their primary profession.
Women's participation and institutional failureWomen's participation remains critically low. Only 4.02 percent of all candidates are women, falling short of even a 5 percent threshold. The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance fielded six women candidates, while the BNP-led alliance nominated 24.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman concluded with a sharp critique of oversight bodies, stating that "the ACC, NBR and the Election Commission have shown failure in verifying the information of the candidates," warning that weak verification mechanisms undermine electoral transparency, constitutional compliance and public trust in democratic institutions.
