If the 13th National Parliamentary Election were to be held next year, 94.3 per cent of respondents said they would be willing to vote. Meanwhile, 56 per cent of respondents said they had no idea about the proportional representation (PR) system in the upper house of parliament.
These findings came from the second round (first phase) of a survey on “People’s Election Perceptions,” conducted by the consultancy firm Innovation Consulting. The results were unveiled this Sunday morning at the Daily Star Centre in Dhaka.
The findings were presented by Rubaiyat Sarwar, Managing Director of Innovation Consulting. The survey was conducted between 2 and 15 September on 10,413 respondents.
While 78.7 per cent overall viewed the interim government’s activities positively, the rate of approval was lower among highly educated groups. On the other hand, religious minority communities expressed relatively less confidence in the interim government’s ability to ensure a fair election
According to the survey, 86.5 per cent of respondents supported holding the election in February. About 69.9 per cent believed that an interim government would be able to ensure a fair election, while 77.5 per cent felt they would be able to cast their votes freely and safely. However, 56 per cent expressed concern over law and order, saying extortion had increased over the past six months.
The survey shows that the younger generation is more aware and positive about the PR system compared to the older generation. However, when it comes to the neutrality of police and administration during elections, Gen-Z respondents were less positive than the older generation.
Some 78.7 per cent of respondents evaluated the activities of the interim government positively. But compared to less-educated voters, highly educated respondents were less satisfied with the interim government’s performance, citing increased extortion. They were also more aware of and favorable toward the PR system.
The survey also revealed that, compared to the general public, university students showed less enthusiasm for voting. They also expressed more disagreement over election timing and were more likely to report that extortion had increased.
While 78.7 per cent overall viewed the interim government’s activities positively, the rate of approval was lower among highly educated groups. On the other hand, religious minority communities expressed relatively less confidence in the interim government’s ability to ensure a fair election.