Bogura-6, Sherpur-3 polls mostly peaceful with minor irregularities: AFED

An election observation mission has found that the 9 April by-polls in Bogura-6 and the Sherpur-3 election were conducted in a generally peaceful and orderly manner, though several administrative and procedural shortcomings were identified.

At a press conference held in the capital on Saturday, members of the Alliance for Fair Election and Democracy (AFED) said voters were largely able to cast their ballots without disruption, but emphasised the need for improvements to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

The by-polls in Bogura-6 was held after vacancies arose in the constituency when the elected candidate retained another seat, while Sherpur-3 fell vacant following the death of a candidate ahead of the polls.

AFED spokesperson Harun-Or-Rashid said, “We observed a generally calm and orderly process, with voters able to participate,” while noting that certain gaps remain that could be addressed to improve future elections.

Polling process and accessibility issues

According to observers, polling stations generally followed standard opening procedures, including showing empty ballot boxes before sealing and ensuring the availability of required materials. Party agents from contesting candidates were present during the opening in most cases.

However, accessibility remained a concern, with 32% of polling stations not adequately accommodating persons with disabilities, potentially limiting their ability to participate independently.

Voting was mostly calm and orderly, with queues well managed in nearly all observed cases. Security personnel were visibly present throughout the day. Still, in 12% of polling stations, voter identity verification procedures were not consistently followed.

Observers also reported signs of proxy voting in about 11% of polling stations, where ballots appeared to have been cast by individuals other than the registered voters. While the voting environment was largely peaceful, one incident of physical violence inside a polling station was recorded.

Campaign violations and voter influence

AFED noted violations of campaign silence rules, with campaign materials visible near nearly half of the polling centers observed. In several instances, individuals not affiliated with election authorities were seen directing voter movement or instructing voters on how to cast their ballots.

Additionally, organised transportation of voters was observed in 50% of locations, where groups arrived together in the same vehicles.

Despite these issues, priority voting arrangements were made for elderly voters, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities in all observed polling stations. Minority voters were generally treated equally, although a few deviations were noted.

Low turnout and boycott announcement

Voter turnout in both elections was lower compared to the 12 February national elections, with observers reporting moderate participation in 64% of polling stations and low turnout in 31%. Many observers noted extended periods with little or no voter presence.

During the polls, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md Masudur Rahman announced a boycott of the Sherpur-3 election, alleging widespread irregularities, ballot stuffing, and the forced removal of polling agents.

The announcement, made at a press conference in Sreebordi upazila, did not appear to significantly affect voter turnout.

Counting and postal voting

Vote counting began promptly in most polling stations after the close of voting, although some experienced minor delays and a few reportedly started early. AFED observers said ballots were generally assessed accurately, with only a small number of complaints raised.

Election results were publicly posted at polling stations in nearly all cases, and no significant interference or intimidation was observed during counting, although in a few instances candidate agents could only partially observe the process.

Read More

Speaker to swear in Bogura-6, Sherpur-3 MPs on Sunday

AFED also monitored postal voting managed by the Bangladesh Election Commission. While the counting process was found to be transparent, participation remained low. In Bogura-6, only about one-third of issued postal ballots were returned, with a small number rejected due to procedural errors such as missing declaration forms.

Incidents and recommendations

Observers recorded six incidents across both constituencies, including a violent clash between supporters in Sherpur-3 that left five people injured. Other irregularities included ballots being sealed before distribution and results sheets signed before counting in isolated cases. Authorities responded promptly to all incidents, AFED said.

Based on its findings, AFED recommended that the Election Commission enhance training for polling officials, ensure full accessibility at polling centres, and enforce campaign silence rules more strictly. It also urged expansion and improvement of postal voting to include more eligible groups such as election observers, media personnel, and persons with disabilities.

Concluding the briefing, Harun-Or-Rashid said the by-elections “proceeded smoothly overall,” adding that AFED’s detailed recommendations will be included in a broader scale on the February parliamentary elections and national referendum, scheduled for publication in May.

AFED, a coalition of 30 civil society organisations, deployed 53 observers—30 in Bogura-6 and 23 in Sherpur-3—covering 103 polling centres. Its observation activities are supported by funding from the European Union.

Taleya Rehman, chairperson of Democracywatch and AFED board member, Binoy Krishna Mollick, executive director, Right Jessore, AHM Nouman, chairperson, DORP, Md Harun-or-Rashid, chief executive and AFED member secretary, were present at the press conference.