Despite the Election Commission’s (EC) initiative to boost youth participation through the ‘Youth Voter’ programme, allegations have surfaced that voters with disabilities were largely excluded due to a lack of adequate and effective inclusive arrangements.
Field-level observations revealed that persons with disabilities faced significant difficulties as a result of infrastructural barriers and the absence of necessary support services.
Physically challenged voters reported that polling centres lacked wheelchair-accessible ramps, level pathways and volunteer assistance. Similarly, no provisions were made for visually impaired voters, such as Braille ballots, large-print voter lists or oral guidance.
As a result, voters with disabilities encountered obstacles at every stage of the voting process—from locating their names on voter lists to casting ballots in secrecy.
Rahim, a physically challenged voter who participated in the programme under the banner of IFES, said the ‘Youth Voting’ initiative failed to adequately consider the needs of persons with disabilities. He noted that the absence of online voting options, personal assistance and technological support effectively marginalised disabled voters.
Dhaka University students Ibnu Ahmed and Kamrun Nahar Ritu said they nearly fell several times while standing in long queues searching for voter numbers. They stressed the need for separate help desks, volunteers and easily accessible polling booths for voters with disabilities, alongside more humane and sensitive conduct by election officials and polling agents.
As the country prepares for the 13th national parliamentary election, initiatives targeting expatriate and women voters have been highlighted. However, observers noted a visible lack of preparation to ensure the participation of nearly three million voters with disabilities. Allegations of neglect and disorganised management in safeguarding their voting rights have persisted for years.
Zahirul Islam, founder of Team Inclusion Bangladesh, said there were no specific guidelines to assist physically challenged voters in finding their names on voter lists, making it impossible to implement effective independent measures.
“Although the Election Commission made several commitments, these have not been reflected in reality,” he said, adding that the level of priority given to disability issues on polling day remains to be seen.
Candidate Haider Rabiul Hossain Rabi described the ‘Youth Voter’ programme as an important step towards raising voting awareness among young people. He said the Chief Election Commissioner’s call and active youth participation were helping foster responsibility and engagement among the new generation of voters.
However, he pointed out that the programme’s major shortcoming was the absence of sufficient inclusive measures for voters with disabilities, which prevented the initiative from fully achieving its objectives.
In this context, High Court lawyers Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab and Naim Sardar sent a legal notice on November 25 to the Election Commission and relevant authorities, demanding accessible polling centres, assistive devices, easier access to information and necessary policy reforms. They warned that a writ petition would be filed if adequate steps were not taken to ensure voting rights for persons with disabilities.
Responding to the allegations, Election Commission Public Relations Officer Md Ruhul Amin Mollik claimed that arrangements had been made for wheelchairs, ramps, Braille ballots and trained election staff. However, voters alleged that the effective implementation of these measures was not evident on the ground during the ‘Youth Voter’ programme.
