The ruling Awami League government has been on a solid footing for 14 consecutive years, despite facing many challenges posed by its political opponents in the last few years.
Due to the observance of street events, opposition activists have increased their online campaigns in an organized way, while ruling party leaders and activists have been seen taking photos with their patrons, eying posts in the national council and new committees at different levels.
Several senior leaders of the Awami League recently expressed frustration in internal meetings over a lack of effective action to strengthen the party's grassroots both online and offline.
During the time of the virtual movement, opposition activists took advantage of social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, as well as the availability of smartphones and the internet at affordable cost, increasing number of mainstream newspapers and TV channels, and the popularity of digital media software and phone applications.
Their visible online campaigns included managing websites, Facebook pages and groups, and YouTube channels on news events, participating in online polls by mainstream newspapers, posting comment bombs on news items, and sharing memes related to the government and the ruling party.
Till October, top BNP leaders regularly held press conferences at the Naya Patan central office to brief reporters on contemporary issues, including corruption and misuse of power in the government.
Meanwhile, BNP activists maintained a strong online presence to criticize and troll the government by highlighting negative news. In some cases, opposition supporters were blamed for spreading false or half-true information to slander the government.
Recently, people withdrew over Tk50,000 crore from different banks in a spree triggered by Facebook posts claiming that banks were facing a severe cash crisis.
Govt achievements questioned
In the outgoing year, the government has achieved significant progress in some economic indicators to stun the world amid the two major disasters of the century -- the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war -- while sheltering over one million displaced Rohingya refugees.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened some dazzling mega projects like the Padma Bridge, Bangandhu Tunnel and metro rail, alongside hundreds of bridges and roads worth thousands of crores of taka.
To highlight its achievements, the Awami League's official Facebook page and a few of the central leaders shared news and posters on social media. On the other hand, to nullify the developments, BNP supporters raised allegations of corruption and embezzlement in the projects.
Brushing aside the opposition's online campaigns, the ruling party activists are now promoting the government's achievements and visionary plans on social media. They are recalling the misdeeds of the BNP-Jamaat government in 2001-06, and the tenure of BNP founder General Ziaur Rahman, who rose to power after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with most of his family members in 1975.
To increase its online presence, the Awami League has formed committees across the country and are highlighting the government's successes in every constituency.
Virtual and street movement
Earlier this year, the BNP's top policymakers declared processions and rallies in Dhaka and then in divisional headquarters to strengthen the party based on a consensus reached in meetings with the allies and observing support in favour of their causes on social media.
The activists of the opposition parties, mainly the BNP, its allies and like-minded groups, got the scope to participate in street movements after several years. But, in many areas, they engaged in clashes with law enforcers.
Even though the movements were launched on a limited scale to protest the hike in commodity prices, utility bills and fuel oils, the mainstream media covered the events prominently.
The campaigns got a final push as the BNP completed its divisional rallies and the law enforcers arrested some top opposition leaders linked to the BNP. Still, the last rally in Dhaka on December 10 ended without any sign of the government's ouster, as predicted by senior BNP leaders since October.
Apparently, the opposition's movement that gained momentum from October-December has slumped after December 10, because the activists are losing morale to participate in protests with full enthusiasm.
As the government was firm on not stepping down and holding the national election on time -- in January 2024 -- the BNP declared that they would not participate if the government did not release its Chairperson Khaleda Zia and restore the caretaker government provision.
News items on the opposition's events shared on social media garnered significant responses from activists and government critics. On the other hand, criticisms of the government by the mainstream media -- in talk shows and op-eds -- and foreign diplomats and international agencies gained traction on social media.
DSA alerts
Anti-government campaigns on social media and by opposition-backed media outlets were visible despite the abrupt use of the controversial Digital Security Act by the police and ruling party leaders.
Local and international human rights defenders and journalists have demanded a revision of the law to ensure freedom of expression as per the country's Constitution.
However, the government has decided not to allow the filing of DSA cases and arrests without proper scrutiny in the face of criticism. The law minister also assured the people of initiating an amendment to the law, formulated in line with a similar legal framework during the previous BNP-Jamaat government.
Despite that, anti-government campaigns on social media are likely to increase in the months before the parliamentary polls.