Dhaka:
As Bangladesh heads into one of its most significant elections on Thursday, allegations have surfaced that the Jamaat-e-Islami and its chief, Shafiqur Rahman, are attempting to influence voters using a mix of religious messaging and financial incentives.
Pamphlets allegedly circulated by a Jamaat-led alliance promise 15,000 taka to voters who support the party. The document also claims that if all members of a family vote for Jamaat, their afterlife will be “free of sin” and they will receive “salvation from grave punishment.”
The leaflet, accessed by NDTV, reportedly instructs voters to bring a camera phone to polling booths and photograph their stamped ballot as proof of voting for the 67-year-old Jamaat chief in the Dhaka-15 constituency.
Jamaat, once banned under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is now leading an 11-party alliance and is expected to mount a strong challenge against the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), its former ally, in the first election since Hasina’s removal from power.
According to the pamphlet, Jamaat workers have collected voters’ ID numbers and bKash-linked mobile numbers. To receive the promised 15,000 taka — described as a “voter allowance and travel expense” — individuals would need to provide proof that they voted for the party’s “Dari Palla” (weighing scale) symbol. The payment is said to be made after results are declared, either through bKash, a leading mobile financial service in Bangladesh, or in cash. Some advance payments were also reportedly promised.
The leaflet further instructs voters to hand over their voter ID cards to designated party representatives after casting their ballots and to remain near polling centres in case they are called back. It also directs voters to support the “Yes” option in a parallel referendum and to keep the document confidential.
In Bangladesh, general elections are being held alongside a referendum on an 84-point reform package introduced by Chief Muhammad Yunus. Voting began at 7:30 am in 299 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies and is scheduled to continue until 4:30 pm.
Shafiqur Rahman cast his vote at Monipur Uchcha Vidyalaya and College and later said his party would accept the results if the polls were conducted fairly.
Meanwhile, sections of the media reported allegations of pre-poll irregularities, including vote tampering and voter bribery, prompting security forces to detain several individuals. In a late-night social media post, Shafiqur dismissed the claims as rumours and urged voters not to be misled. He also called on the media to maintain neutrality in their coverage. (Agencies)
