There is widespread enthusiasm and anticipation among the people ahead of the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election. In a survey conducted by Prothom Alo, over 90 per cent of respondents said they intend to vote in the forthcoming national election.
Half of all respondents (50 per cent) expressed optimism that the upcoming election will be free and fair, while one-third voiced doubts regarding the prospect of a neutral and credible electoral process.
These findings emerged from Prothom Alo’s National Public Opinion Survey 2025, carried out on some major socio-political issues. The survey was conducted by the private research organisation Keymakers Consulting Limited on behalf of Prothom Alo.
One of the survey questions asked, “How optimistic are you that Bangladesh’s next national parliamentary election will be free and fair?” Respondents were given five possible answers: very pessimistic; pessimistic; neither pessimistic nor optimistic; somewhat optimistic; very optimistic.
According to the results, 42 per cent of respondents said they were somewhat optimistic about the election being free and fair, while 8.1 per cent said they were very optimistic. In total, more than 50 per cent expressed optimism.
By contrast, 26 per cent said they were pessimistic, and 7.6 per cent described themselves as very pessimistic. That means, 33.5 per cent harbour concerns about the integrity of the election. The remaining 16.4 per cent said they were neither pessimistic nor optimistic.
No significant difference was observed across age or gender groups in terms of optimism regarding the prospect of a free and fair election.
Strong willingness to vote
Another question asked, “Will you go to vote in the upcoming national parliamentary election?” In response, 91.7 per cent of participants said yes. Only 1.7 per cent said they would not vote, while 6.6 per cent said they were unsure.
Here, too, differences across gender and age groups were minimal.
The survey gathered opinions from 1,342 adults aged 18 to 55 from five city areas and five rural or semi-urban areas. Respondents represented a broad range of income levels, classes and professions. Data was collected between 21 and 28 October.
The survey agency emphasised that the findings constitute a public opinion poll. While nationally representative, the survey does not reflect the tendencies of any specific electoral constituency.
The sample reflects individuals who can read online or print newspapers and who are likely to vote in the upcoming general election. The survey’s confidence level is 99 per cent.