Total liabilities of MPs-elect stand at Tk11,356cr, highest since last four parliaments: TIB

A striking surge in declared debts among Bangladesh's newly elected MPs has pushed total liabilities to Tk11,356 crore, highest since the last four parliaments, according to a detailed report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

Titled "13th National Parliamentary Election Process and Affidavit-Based Observation", the report, released this week, is based on a representative random sample of 70 constituencies out of 300 and provides a comprehensive analysis of the new parliament.

Beyond the alarming rise in liabilities, the TIB study examines MPs' professional backgrounds, election-day irregularities, patterns of media coverage, political party dynamics, and overall electoral inclusivity, offering a nuanced snapshot of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

Record liabilities among MPs

Nearly half of the MPs in the current parliament have declared liabilities, with 62.02% of BNP MPs and 15.94% of Jamaat-e-Islami MPs reporting debts. Across parliaments, the proportion of MPs with liabilities has ranged between 51% and 56%, declining slightly to 49.83% in the 13th parliament.

The total declared liabilities of elected members of the 13th parliament stand at Tk11,356 crore. The figure was Tk1,107 crore in the ninth parliament, Tk3,624 crore in the 10th, Tk6,423 crore in the 11th, and Tk10,392 crore in the 12th, according to TIB.

Professional backgrounds and demographics

TIB's analysis shows that almost 60% of elected MPs are businessmen, 11.8% are lawyers, and 8.1% come from teaching backgrounds. 

Compared with the previous parliament, the proportion of businessmen decreased slightly, but the number of teachers reached a historic high, while the number of career politicians declined. 

The average age of MPs in the 13th parliament is 59 years, reflecting a mix of experience and new representation. Among the elected members, 3.03% are aged 25 to 34, 6.73% are 35 to 44, 18.86% are 45 to 54, 33.67% are 55 to 64, and 36.03% are over 65, indicating a significant proportion of senior lawmakers alongside younger entrants.

A total of 209 MPs are entering parliament for the first time, including both the prospective leader of the house and the opposition leader, highlighting a notable infusion of fresh faces at the top levels of parliamentary leadership.

Code of conduct violations, irregularities and violence

TIB found that around 99% of contesting candidates violated at least one provision of the electoral code of conduct. 

Observed violations included campaigning without proper printing press details, processions on vehicles, torch marches, submitting nomination papers with excessive supporters, and damaging rival candidates' posters or banners. 

On election day, incidents ranged from attacks on independent women candidates to intimidation and harassment of voters, obstruction or removal of polling agents, instances of proxy voting, and the distribution of money during voting. Many voters were also unable to cast their ballots due to mismatches between their names and photos on the voter list.

In terms of post-election violence, TIB's report notes that in the 70 sampled constituencies, there were 45 clashes between political opponents, 34 instances of intimidation of rival voters, workers, and supporters, 18 attacks on homes and offices, and 16 internal conflicts among party rebels. 

Regarding fake votes, incidents were recorded in 21.4% of the sampled constituencies. TIB clarified that this figure reflects the presence of one or more such incidents within a constituency and should not be extrapolated as a nationwide estimate, cautioning media outlets against misrepresenting the findings to suggest widespread fraudulent voting. 

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman added that there was no evidence of election engineering and described the polls as broadly acceptable, free, fair, participatory, and inclusive, emphasising that these isolated incidents did not compromise the overall credibility of the election.

The organisation stressed that its study was designed to observe and analyse specific aspects of the election, not to provide a comprehensive quantitative assessment, and that irregularities noted in the sample should not be generalised across the entire electoral process.

Awami League supporters vote despite boycott

The report examined the role of the banned Awami League, which formally urged voters to resist the polls while declaring the election and interim government illegitimate. 

Despite this, segments of AL leaders, activists, and supporters participated in voting, joined rival party campaigns, and exercised political rights. TIB noted that political parties, including BNP, Jamaat alliance, Jatiyo Party, and others actively competed for the AL voter base. 

The watchdog concluded that informal participation by AL members contributed to electoral inclusivity, even though the party's institutional stance opposed the election.

Media coverage and campaign spending

TIB reported that BNP received the largest share of media coverage on Bangladesh Television's 8pm news from 1 October 2025 to 12 February 2026, with 352 minutes 15 seconds of airtime valued at Tk3.17 crore, representing 59.32% of the total Tk5.34 crore spent on coverage. 

Jamaat-e-Islami received 128 minutes 15 seconds, worth Tk1.15 crore or 21.59% of the total, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) was allocated 70 minutes 39 seconds, valued at Tk63.5 lakh or 11.89%. 

The Jatiyo Party received no coverage, independent candidates got 10 seconds, and other parties collectively had 42 minutes 36 seconds.

On social media, BNP spent nearly Tk3 crore across 11 party pages and 11 candidate pages, Jamaat-e-Islami spent Tk1.35 crore across 115 pages, and NCP spent nearly Tk11 lakh across 17 pages. 

TIB also highlighted the partisan involvement of university vice-chancellors, teachers, and government officials, including performances of songs and religious music in support of parties. Allegations were made against the Ministry of Local Government for allocating special development grants to selected constituencies, raising questions of favouritism.

Anti-corruption oversight

Although the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) indicated it would verify information in candidates' affidavits, TIB reported no visible action. The watchdog also cautioned the media against misrepresenting isolated irregularities, emphasising that these did not compromise the overall credibility of the election.

The report concluded that while isolated irregularities, code of conduct violations, and minor incidents of fake voting occurred, the 13th National Parliamentary Election was largely credible, representative, and inclusive.