The social media battlefield: Political campaigns in Bangladesh's national elections

"As Bangladesh heads toward its 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12, 2026, campaigning is moving beyond street processions and public rallies into the digital sphere. Social media, especially Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, has emerged as a key arena where political messages are crafted, debated, and pushed to wider audiences. What was once considered an informal extension of political communication has now evolved into a core campaign tool, reflecting broader changes in voter engagement and media consumption across the country,"

"The same report mentions that 82.8 million people, or 47 percent of people, use the internet, and 64 million use social media, mostly Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Social media takes center stage as campaign strategy Political parties and candidates in Bangladesh are now heavily investing in online outreach. According to a report by the Daily Sun, social media campaigning has become a key component of election strategy, complementing traditional grassroots mobilization."

"The report mentions that on Facebook, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman has 5.6 million followers. Bangladesh Jamat-e-Islami Party's Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has 2.3 million followers, and National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has 1.2 million followers on Facebook. Candidates routinely use videos, live streams, and short posts to communicate directly with voters across constituencies. Political parties and candidates are also using innovative online campaign sites, campaign songs, games, and other interactive content to engage the voters of different constituencies."

Social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, X and YouTube have become central to campaigning ahead of the 2026 national election. Mobile penetration and internet use are high, with 186 million active mobile connections and tens of millions online and on social media. Political parties and candidates invest heavily in online outreach, follower networks and multimedia content. Campaign techniques include videos, live streams, interactive sites, songs and games to engage voters. High youth online presence amplifies reach and changes voter engagement and media consumption patterns across constituencies.

Read at Global Voices