Transforming Dynamics of Electoral Violence

A Comparative Analysis of Local Government in Bangladesh (2003-2023)

Abstract

The occurrences of electoral violence in Bangladesh have shown various nuanced differences between non-partisan and party-based Local Government (LG) election systems. This article examines the broader trends of violence observed throughout the Union Parishad (UP) elections from 2003 until 2023 in Bangladesh. The main aim of this study is to acquire a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that contribute to violence and its subsequent consequences. Data have been collected from multiple sources, including books, articles, newspapers, and election reports, applying a mixed-methods approach to acquire a systematic and numerical understanding of the instances of electoral violence. The findings suggest that the introduction of the party-based LG elections in 2015 has resulted in alterations to the underlying factors that contribute to conflict and the specific catalysts that incite violence during elections at the local level. The provocation of violence can be attributed to several key factors, including the presence of diverse individual interests within a particular political party and the absence of robust opposition. The study also reveals that the Party-Line LG Election witnessed a significant increase in violence and its associated consequences in its early years. However, as time progressed, there was a noticeable decline in the severity of the violence.