Poster ban silences Dhaka's printing hubs, hits small businesses hard
The traditional election rush — overnight printing, temporary hiring and brisk paper sales — has largely disappeared ahead of the 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for 12 February
The election season, once a peak business period for printing presses in Dhaka's Fakirapul, Arambagh and Nilkhet, has turned unusually quiet this year as strict campaign rules have slashed demand for posters and promotional materials, pushing small and medium printers into losses.
Under the Election Commission's code of conduct, all election posters are banned, while banners, leaflets and handbills face tight restrictions on size, colour and materials. Only black-and-white printing is allowed, environmentally harmful materials are prohibited, and campaign items can carry only the candidate's own photo and symbol.
As a result, the traditional election rush — overnight printing, temporary hiring and brisk paper sales — has largely disappeared ahead of the 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for 12 February.
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Restrictions on posters
Except for electronic and digital media, all printed campaign materials must be in black and white. Banners cannot exceed 10 feet by 4 feet, leaflets and handbills must be within A4 size, and festoons must not be larger than 18 inches by 24 inches.
Strict restrictions on campaign materials have sharply reduced election-related printing, pushing small and medium-sized press owners into losses.
No work at presses even during election season
Most of Dhaka's printing presses are clustered in Fakirapul, Arambagh and Nilkhet, with Fakirapul usually handling the highest volume of election posters, leaflets and handbills.
"Sales are down by 70%," said Swapan Ahmed, owner of Moynamoti Printers. "Election season used to be like Eid for us. We hired 12 to 14 extra workers. This year, there is almost no work. In 15 years, we have never seen this."
Shahadat Hossain, owner of Al Noor Printers and Press, said output has collapsed. "Earlier we produced around 1,200 reams of election materials. This time, we may not sell even 200. Black-and-white leaflets bring no profit, but we are still doing them just to survive."
Slump spreads to paper, design businesses
The slowdown has rippled across related businesses. Rashed, proprietor of Rashed Paper House, said paper sales — typically 70–80 reams a day during elections — have fallen sharply despite stocking up in advance. "During elections, we usually sell 70 to 80 reams a day and make some profit. But because of the restrictions, sales have fallen sharply," he said.
Design studios have also been hit. "Usually we handle a lot of poster, banner and leaflet designs during elections'" Mahmud Hasan, owner of Pencil Graphics, adding that "This year, there is hardly any such work, so we are continuing only with our regular assignments."
Small, medium businesses under pressure
According to industry leaders, the impact is widespread. More than 2,000 printing presses operate in areas such as Fakirapul, Arambagh, Nilkhet and Banglabazar, with at least 1,000 in Fakirapul and Paltan alone.
During election periods, printing houses across Dhaka and the country typically generate business worth over Tk50 crore. That market has effectively collapsed following the poster ban, said Tofayel Khan, former president of the Bangladesh Printing Industries Association.
He estimated losses of nearly Tk50 crore due to the absence of posters and campaign materials, with small and medium presses bearing the brunt.
The fallout, he added, has also erased income opportunities for low-wage workers who depend on election-season overtime.
"The election may be cleaner and quieter," Tofayel Khan said, "but the economic and social cost for the printing industry is undeniable."
