In the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election, 18 candidates from different parties and independent candidates have declared immovable assets worth at least Tk1 billion or more, according to Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
As an example, the TIB said that questions could be raised about ‘undisclosed overseas companies’ owned by a minister doing real estate business overseas with his total assets valued at approximately Tk2,312 crore. It means discrepancies between disclosed information and actual holdings are evident.
The TIB shared its findings at a press conference in Dhaka on Tuesday as it presented a detailed report on the parliamentary election candidates’ affidavits while introducing the ‘Know Your Candidate (KYC)’ interactive dashboard.
The TIB said 571 candidates from different parties and independents have declared immovable assets worth at least Tk1 crore, with 18 among them possessing assets valued at Tk100 crore or more.
The TIB’s analysis said the number of independent candidates has surged significantly while the candidates affiliated with or supported by the ruling party dominate in every constituency, and there are multiple instances of more than one candidate in a single constituency.
It said the majority of candidates with assets worth at least Tk1 crore are affiliated with the ruling Awami League, numbering 235. Following closely are independents, with 163 of them having assets worth Tk1 crore.
The report said 47 candidates from the Jatiya Party, 17 from Jatiya Party (Manju), seven from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, six from Trinamool BNP, and five from Bangladesh Workers Party own assets worth at least Tk1 crore.
Over 57 percent of the candidates have graduate or postgraduate degrees, with 13.66 percent being self-educated. Businesspersons also showcased a substantial presence, accounting for 57 percent of the candidates in the upcoming election, marking a 10 percent increase in their participation over the last 15 years.
A record 164 candidates, or approximately 27 percent, reported annual earnings exceeding Tk1 crore based on their current financial standings, including 18 billionaires, the wealthiest among them possessing assets worth Tk1,345 crore.
The trend signifies a prioritisation of candidates with wealth surpassing Tk1 crore by political parties. For instance, Bangladesh Awami League fielded 27 percent of candidates with assets exceeding Tk1 crore in the 9th parliamentary election, a figure that rose to 86 percent after 15 years. The TIB said close to 47 percent of the independent candidates declared wealth exceeding Tk 1 crore.
The affidavits also highlighted instances of candidates owning vast expanses of land, surpassing legal limits outlined in the Land Reform Act 2023. According to the law, the limit of ownership is 60 bighas agrarian land and in total 100 bighas including non-agrarian land.
Around 27 percent of the election aspirants collectively reported loans or debts amounting to over Tk 16,000 crore, with some candidates reporting income spikes exceeding 2,000 percent compared to their previous income disclosures alongside staggering asset increments.
TIB’s Chairperson Sultana Kamal, Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Adviser - Executive Management Professor Dr. Sumaiya Khair, Director Outreach and Communication Sheikh Manjur-E-Alam, and data visualisers Rifat Rahman and K M Rafiqul Alam attended the event, among others.
TIB’s Outreach and Communication Division Coordinator Mohammad Tauhidul Islam presented the report.
MSH
