QuickPost | Dhaka
Female Candidates Face Online Abuse Ahead of National Election
As Bangladesh heads toward its 13th National Parliamentary Election, female candidates across party lines say they are facing a sharp rise in online harassment, coordinated disinformation, and character attacks. They allege that bot accounts and influential male politicians are orchestrating these campaigns to undermine women in politics.
In a joint statement released Tuesday at the National Press Club, more than a dozen female candidates said they are being targeted on social media with obscene abuse, AI-generated deepfake videos, and false narratives designed to damage their credibility.
Nasrin Sultana, the Awami League candidate from Dhaka-10, said:
“This is not random trolling. These are coordinated attacks—using bots to assassinate our character, backed by some well-known male politicians.”
New Risks in Digital Campaigning
With elections expected in late March, online campaigning has become a key political tool. But female candidates say digital platforms are now the most hostile arena they face.
Data from the Bangladesh Centre for Digital Rights shows that reports of online harassment against women politicians have risen by nearly 40 percent compared with the 2024 election cycle.
Rabeya Akhter, a BNP candidate from Chattogram, alleged:
“Automated accounts on Facebook and X amplify comments made by powerful men. Fake images and videos are being spread to mislead voters.”
One deepfake video reportedly crossed 500,000 views in under 24 hours before being taken down.
Fears Over Voter Participation
Dr. Fatima Rahman, a political analyst at University of Dhaka, warned that online abuse now functions like “invisible ballot manipulation.”
“It erodes confidence and discourages women candidates and voters alike,” she said.
Women make up 52 percent of Bangladesh’s electorate, raising concerns that sustained digital intimidation could depress participation.
Government and Party Responses
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said it will step up monitoring to identify and remove bot accounts. The Awami League has announced an internal inquiry, while the BNP has proposed a cross-party cyber task force to address election-related digital abuse.
As election day draws closer, female candidates say their fight is no longer only for votes—but for a safe, dignified, and democratic digital space.
