746 killed in political violence over last 14 years: TIB

At least 746 people have been killed and 46,351 injured in 4,280 incidents of political violence across Bangladesh over the past 13 years and eight months, with factional conflicts within political parties accounting for nearly 42 per cent of the fatalities, according to a Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) study.

The findings expose a deepening crisis of internal democracy, institutional accountability and political governance, as factional rivalries, abuse of power, financial influence and the criminalisation of politics continue to shape party organisations.

Titled ‘Institutional Good Governance of Political Parties in Bangladesh’, the study covers January 2013 to August 2026, drawing on information from human rights organisations and published reports. TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman presented its findings at a press conference at the organisation's Dhanmondi office in Dhaka on Sunday. Senior Research Fellow Md Julkarnain and Research Associates Kawsar Ahmed and Kazi Aminul Hasan also presented the research findings.

Of the total fatalities, 428 resulted from clashes between rival political parties, while 318 occurred in 1,926 incidents of internal party conflicts. The respective injuries stood at 27,860 and 18,491. Between January and August this year alone, political violence claimed 46 lives and left 3,059 people injured.

Responding to questions, Iftekharuzzaman attributed the persistent violence to the abuse of power, the influence of black money and the growing criminalisation of politics. Political participation and party affiliation, he observed, had effectively turned into a ‘power-centric business model’.

“The absence of effective preventive measures against irregularities, corruption and abuse of power, coupled with a lack of accountability, has allowed money and muscle power to permeate party structures,” he remarked, adding that political violence was increasingly being treated as a norm.

He noted that the July Uprising had raised public expectations of an end to power politics, but substantive changes in political practices had yet to materialise. Internal factionalism, leadership rivalries and struggles for influence continued to trigger conflicts, particularly at the grassroots, sometimes claiming lives.

The study also exposes widespread irregularities in candidate selection, including alleged nomination trading in major political parties. According to information obtained from party representatives, a prospective parliamentary candidate may spend as much as Tk50 crore to secure a nomination at the grassroots level.

Iftekharuzzaman pointed out the discrepancy between such alleged election expenditure and the financial disclosures submitted by political parties to the Election Commission. While individual candidates may spend billions of taka during parliamentary elections, parties collectively report annual income and expenditure of only Tk20 crore to Tk25 crore. Such discrepancies, he argued, create scope for undisclosed transactions and illicit political financing.

The report further identifies family-centric leadership in at least 10 political parties, including the Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party. An analysis of 32 parties found that the heads of 12 had remained in office for at least a decade, with seven holding their positions for more than 20 years. The Awami League chief's tenure was recorded at 45 years and the BNP chief's at 41 years, although the latter's leadership has changed recently.