Campaign clashes must not be normalised

The number of clashes and injuries reported across at least five districts in just a few days is indicative of a dangerous normalisation of political violence during elections. We have seen this trend in the past, and we are seeing it again even after a mass uprising dismantled the old, authoritarian order. According to our report, at least 24 people have been injured, while another newspaper has put the figure at 40. So far, it seems that the clashes are largely between BNP and Jamaat, the two major parties of the present moment, which makes the situation all the more disconcerting. Why must election campaigning become so acrimonious that it descends into physical scuffles and violence?

The parties in question were part of a coalition in the past, and then were united in their participation in the 2024 uprising to pave the way for a democratic future. They also sat together to amicably discuss the July Charter during long sessions held by the Consensus Commission. Yet today, as they compete with one another, their activists and supporters are resorting to violence over the most trifling matters. Social media, meanwhile, has become more of a weapon to defame opponents rather than a platform to win votes through inspiring messages.

The details of the clashes reported are particularly revealing. In Shariatpur, five people were injured after a Jamaat activist published a Facebook post accusing a BNP female leader of campaigning for a “No” vote in the referendum. This prompted some BNP men to go to the local Jamaat office where an altercation broke out between the two groups, eventually leading to a physical fight. In Netrokona, seven people were injured in clashes between supporters of a BNP candidate and a rebel candidate formerly of BNP. Elsewhere, clashes have occurred over allegations of obstructing rival campaigns, erecting banners, harassing women supporters, activists going door to door, and collecting NID cards and bKash numbers. Scuffles involving alliance partners have also been reported.

We are worried that such clashes may escalate as election day nears, so there is an urgent need to de-escalate tensions. The onus for that lies primarily with political parties and their leaders. They must send a clear, unequivocal message to their candidates and supporters that violence against rivals will not be tolerated, and that serious consequences will follow any breach of this directive. The police and the Election Commission must also be far more proactive in preventing violence, and in identifying and punishing those involved in clashes.

As it is amply clear by now, online misinformation and disinformation, including AI-generated content, are now capable of igniting real-world violence, so the EC must remain vigilant against the circulation of AI-generated and other incendiary content, while political parties must rein in not only street-level activists but also digital instigators. Finally, we want to remind political parties, especially BNP and Jamaat, that the broader objective for the nation is a fair and credible election in which citizens can once again exercise their fundamental democratic right freely. So, restraint and fairness are a must from all parties without exception.