The pre-election campaign has brought vibrancy to every corner of the country with debates over tea at tea stalls -- both in urban settings and in remote villages. A festive mood is prevailing, though there remains a fear of violence.
But in this digital age, candidates cannot avoid election campaigning on digital platforms, and voters are also curious to follow what is happening on social media platforms.
From new to heavyweight candidates contesting in the upcoming national election scheduled for December 30, all political campaigns are seen to have a digital presence these days.
"What's happening on the ground is traditional, having a huge impact on voters. But you cannot avoid digital campaigns using social media platforms," said political party worker Nazim Uddin Parvez, who is campaigning in favour of Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, Awami League candidate from Chittagong 12 constituency.
Parvez finds it easy, less costly, and one of the best ways to stay engaged with voters as many young voters spend much of their time on social media, a majority of them preferring Facebook.
A good number of candidates representing various political parties, including Awami League, BNP, and Jatiya Party among others, are remaining active to capitalize on Facebook.
Supporters of candidates are sharing live election campaign activities from the field, pre-recorded speeches highlighting their various positive activities in their respective constituencies, digital posters and people's voices, in an effort to gain the support of voters.
For almost every candidate, a Facebook page (apart from their personal account) based on their public profile, is the first step towards a digital campaign.
SM Jaglul Hayder, an Awami League grand alliance candidate from Satkhira 4 constituency, shared several photos on his page from his election campaign. "You'll get me beside you round the clock during your good and bad days," he wrote to voters, sharing a photograph in which he is holding up two paper boats.
Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Bir Protik, a candidate of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, shared a long post expressing his optimism about victory saying: "We'll surely go for casting votes. We'll surely remain present at the polling centers on Election Day and we'll surely return home with victory, InshaAllah."
A Facebook page dedicated to Awami League heavyweight candidate from Dhaka1 constituency and adviser to the Prime Minister, Salman F Rahman, also shared digital posters and videos.
Salma Islam of Jatiya Party, the incumbent MP, is also contesting the election for the same constituency as an independent candidate, after the Awami League-led grand alliance nominated Salman, a top businessman who with his brother also founded the Beximco Group. Salma is the wife of another top businessman, Nurul Islam Babul, owner of the Jamuna Group.
Dedicated Facebook pages for Awami League grand alliance candidate and Social Welfare Minister, Rashed Khan Menon, along with BNP candidate Mirza Abbas in Dhaka8 constituency, are also sharing the regular activities of their election campaigns.
Apart from campaign staff, ordinary supporters are also sharing election related media such as songs and videos released by the respective campaigns, on behalf of their favoured party or candidates, on social media, as well as playing those songs at election campaigns at the field level.
The verified Facebook page of Bangladesh Awami League was also found sharing videos depicting the progress made so far in the country under the party's leadership and conveying the message: "We're in favour of Bangladesh under the leadership of (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina."
Inevitably, some candidates have come face-to-face with some of the pitfalls of the digital domain as well.
BNP-led alliance candidate and Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman, Andaleeve Rahman Partho, a former MP and avid advocate of technology (he even petitioned to use EVMs at his constituency Dhaka-17), is also actively using Facebook for campaign purposes, and shared a video appealing to young voters on his verified Facebook page on December 11,which was well-appreciated and quite widely shared.
Today though, an update on his verified page said that his personal Facebook account has been hacked. "....please be careful of any status given from that account," said the update.