Ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary election, political violence and attacks on journalists have surged across Bangladesh, human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has said.
In a press statement on Tuesday, ASK said at least 47 journalists were subjected to violence in the first 10 days of February.
According to ASK’s statistics, 58 incidents of political violence occurred nationwide between February 1 and 10, leaving at least 2 people dead and 489 injured. The organization noted that in the last 10 days of January, 49 violent incidents resulted in 4 deaths and 414 injuries, indicating an escalation in February.
ASK’s data also showed that between January 1 and 10, 8 incidents of political violence caused five deaths and 26 injuries. Between January 11 and 20, 18 incidents left 2 dead and 176 injured.
The rights group expressed concern over the rising attacks on journalists covering election-related news. Their analysis revealed that 11 journalists were attacked in December 2025, 16 in January 2026, and at least 47 in the first 10 days of February 2026.
ASK specifically cited an incident on February 7, when 21 journalists of the online news portal Bangladesh Times were taken from their workplaces to a military camp and held for nearly two hours, calling it a major obstacle to a free press.
The organization warned that as the election approaches, politics is becoming increasingly confrontational. ASK said this upward trend in violence and intimidation of journalists poses a serious threat to a fair election.
ASK urged all relevant parties to uphold the rule of law and ensure the rights to life and personal liberty of every citizen, as guaranteed by the constitution. The organization also called for an environment that allows voters to exercise their voting rights freely and safely in the upcoming election.
