59pc of BNP’s candidates facing financial liabilities, TIB finds

Nearly 59 per cent of the BNP’s candidates contesting in the parliamentary polls have outstanding loans, according to Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

The findings were disclosed at a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday, where the local chapter of Berlin-based Transparency International, a global anti-corruption organisation, presented an analysis of candidates’ election affidavits.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman addressed the briefing, while the main report was presented by Touhidul Islam, director of the organisation’s Communication and Outreach Division.

According to the data presented, a total of 51 political parties are taking part in the national election, with 1,981 candidates in the final race.

Among them, 249 contenders, representing roughly 13 per cent, are standing as independents.

The current election cycle has seen a massive influx of candidates from Islamist parties, who now account for more than 36 per cent of the total pool -- the highest proportion recorded across the last five elections.

Conversely, female participation has once again failed to reach the 5 per cent target.

Analysis of the candidates' backgrounds reveals that over 48 per cent are businessmen by profession.

Those in the legal and teaching sectors follow at 12.61 per cent and 11.56 per cent, while only 1.56 per cent identified politics as their primary occupation.

In terms of wealth, 891 candidates have been identified as millionaires based on the current value of their movable and immovable assets, while 27 individuals are billionaires.

The TIB report notes that nearly 25.5 per cent of all candidates in the election carry some form of debt or liability.

The total volume of these debts amounts to Tk 188.69 billion. While the percentage of indebted candidates is the lowest seen in recent elections, the total amount of money owed has hit an all-time high.

Of the total liability, bank loans account for Tk 174.72 billion.

Legal shadows also loom over the race, with 530 candidates -- representing 22.66 per cent -- currently facing active court cases.

In addition, 740 candidates, or 31.64 per cent, have a history of past legal proceedings.

The total declared electoral expenditure for all candidates stands at Tk 4.64 billion, with an average spending of Tk 2.25 million per person.

The BNP has declared the highest total expenditure at Tk 1.19 billion, while Jamaat-e-Islami holds the second position with Tk 806 million.

A striking trend in asset distribution was also documented. In 259 cases, the movable assets of a candidate's spouse or dependants exceeded those of the candidate.

In addition, the spouses or dependants of 118 candidates own more buildings or flats, and in 164 instances, they hold larger quantities of land than the actual contestants.