The country has entered an election atmosphere. However, just before this phase, Bangladesh has witnessed several grave, significant, and far-reaching developments. The impact of these events is likely to extend not only to the upcoming election but much further beyond.

At various times, the activities of an overt and covert anti-election force have been felt. Immediately after the election schedule was announced, Sharif Osman Hadi—convener of Inqilab Moncho and a potential parliamentary candidate—fell victim to what can be described as a planned assassination. His killing has enraged the people of the country. There is scope to view this incident as an anti-election act, as such events create a sense of insecurity and uncertainty about the electoral process in the public mind. Conversely, hundreds of thousands of people spontaneously gathered at Shahid Hadi’s funeral to express their respect and support for him.

At the same time, capitalising on this tragic incident, attacks and arson were carried out against media outlets such as Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. There are strong grounds to also consider these incidents anti-election in nature. Such violence ahead of an election points to the government’s failure to maintain law and order. There is a direct link between a peaceful environment, effective law enforcement, and the possibility of holding a free and fair election.