Speakers at a discussion expressed both concern and optimism at the upcoming national election to be held on February 12, 2026. They pointed to ousted fascist regime for holding one-party election without allowing people to exercise voting right in favor of their party leaders.
Chattogram Press Club hosted the experience-sharing discussion on “Journalism During Elections” on Wednesday evening at VIP lounge where long-term EU observers Susanne Griendl and Mladen Kobasevich attended as guests.
Osman Gani Mansur, secretary-general of the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) Bangladesh chapter; Zahidul Karim Kachi, president of the Chattogram Press Club; and Golam Maula Murad, the club’s general secretary among others shared their experience at the event.
” A significant portion of minority voters supporting both the “Yes” and “No” sides could be discouraged from voting due to alleged foreign influence”, said Osman Gani Mansur as he warned that there are risks of muscle power and money influencing the electoral process as in past elections.
Referring to elections held during the caretaker government of Shahabuddin Ahmed, Mansur said those polls had been free, fair, and credible.
He expressed hope that a similarly acceptable election could be held in what he described as a post-“fascist” political environment.
Press Club President Zahidul Karim Kachi alleged that over the past 16 years, a major political party had been kept out of the electoral process, allowing what he termed a “fascist government” to retain power.
He further claimed that previous elections had seen ballot boxes filled at night and even votes cast in the names of deceased individuals.
Others speaking on the occasion include Daisy Moudud, Press Club VP, Finance Secy Abul Hasnat, Library Secy Md. Shahidul Islam, Social Welfare and Entertainment Secy Hasan Mukul, Publicity Secy Faruk Abdullah, Muhammad Azad (member), Faruk Monir, Kiron Shorma, Monirul Islam Pervez, MK Monir, Zayed Talukdar, Tanvir Ahmed, Masud Pervez, Osman Sarwar, Harun-or-Rashid and Aziza Hoq Payel.
