Mahdi Amin Alleges Political Propaganda Campaign Against BNP

Tensions mounted in Bangladesh’s electoral landscape as Dr. Mahdi Amin, BNP Chairman’s Adviser and spokesperson for the party’s election steering committee, accused a rival political party of orchestrating a propaganda campaign against the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ahead of the February 12 national parliamentary elections.

Speaking at a press briefing at the BNP Election Steering Committee office in Dhaka’s Gulshan area on Sunday, Dr. Amin claimed the smear campaign stems from the rival party’s fear of BNP’s “inevitable victory” in the upcoming polls.

“Their activists have been going door-to-door, collecting voters’ bKash numbers and national identity card details, attempting to sway voters with illegal financial incentives and even promising ‘tickets to Jannat’,” Dr. Amin alleged, referring to the popular mobile financial service in Bangladesh and using the religious concept of paradise as a metaphorical enticement. He asserted that voters have largely rejected these approaches.

Dr. Amin vehemently denied accusations that the BNP maintains improper relationships with the administration or is involved in election manipulation. He dismissed such allegations as “baseless” and designed to create division between the party and the electorate.

“We place our confidence, as do the people of Bangladesh, in the neutrality and professionalism of all state agencies, the Election Commission, and election-related officials and employees of the interim government,” he stated, condemning what he described as deliberate attempts to spread confusion about the electoral process.

The political climate in Bangladesh has grown increasingly tense as election day approaches. The country has a history of contentious elections, with allegations of voter intimidation and ballot manipulation often marring the democratic process. The interim government currently overseeing the election was installed following significant political upheaval that saw the previous administration step down.

Dr. Amin took the opportunity to highlight what he described as the BNP’s significant contributions to women’s empowerment in Bangladesh, pointing to former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the party’s chairperson, as an “internationally recognized role model” in this area. Khaleda Zia served as Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and has been a dominant figure in the country’s politics for decades.

In contrast, he claimed the rival party has been conducting what he termed an “indecent campaign” on women’s issues, accusing them of planning to restrict women’s rights and freedoms, including reducing working hours for women. This accusation comes at a time when women’s participation in Bangladesh’s workforce has been growing steadily, particularly in the crucial garment manufacturing sector that forms the backbone of the country’s export economy.

Dr. Amin emphasized that the BNP has nominated the highest number of women candidates for parliamentary seats in the upcoming election, while claiming the rival party has failed to nominate a single female candidate. This focus on women’s representation reflects the growing importance of gender politics in Bangladesh’s electoral landscape.

Political analysts note that Bangladesh’s two largest parties, the BNP and the Awami League, have historically traded accusations of corruption and electoral manipulation. The upcoming election represents a crucial moment for Bangladesh’s democracy, as the country grapples with economic challenges, including inflation and pressure on its foreign exchange reserves, alongside ongoing issues of governance and political stability.

As the election date draws near, international observers and local civil society organizations are closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a peaceful and fair electoral process that reflects the will of Bangladesh’s 170 million citizens.