Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has said its findings on isolated incidents of fake voting in the 13th National Parliamentary Election have been misrepresented, leading to misleading narratives about the overall credibility of the polls.

In a press release issued today (16 February), the organisation stated that data presented at a press conference marking the release of its report titled “Observation on the 13th National Parliamentary Election Process and Affidavit-based Review” had been inaccurately interpreted by sections of the media.

TIB clarified that its field-level research was conducted using a random sampling method across 70 selected constituencies.

“Among these 70 randomly selected constituencies, incidents of one or more fake votes were found in 21.4% of constituencies,” the statement said.

However, the organisation stressed that generalising this sample-based finding to characterise the entire election as being marked by widespread fake voting is “completely incorrect, baseless and misleading.”

According to TIB, the research was not designed to provide a nationwide quantitative estimate of irregularities but to observe and analyse selected aspects of the electoral process.

The anti-corruption watchdog urged media outlets that have already published or broadcast what it termed misinterpretations to issue prompt corrections.

It added that failure to do so would compel the organisation to view such presentations as deliberate attempts to mislead the public.

Highlights:

• Europeans seek stronger defence amid strained US ties
• Rubio’s speech offers limited reassurance to Europeans
• Challenges in European defence projects due to internal disputes
• Zelenskiy reminds delegates of brutality of war

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reflected a feeling of profound change among European leaders at this weekend’s Munich Security Conference when she said: “Some lines have been crossed that cannot be uncrossed anymore”.

Transatlantic ties have already been strained over the past year by Donald Trump’s return to the White House. But the US president’s push to annex Greenland dramatically increased European doubts about Washington’s commitment to protect the continent through the NATO alliance.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered limited reassurance to Europeans in his conference speech. Rubio said the US wanted to work with Europe and used a warmer tone than Vice President JD Vance last year. But he was critical of Europe’s recent political course and did not mention NATO, Russia or Moscow’s war in Ukraine – issues on which a gulf has emerged between the US and its partners in the alliance.

With the war about to enter its fifth year and Moscow viewed as an increasing threat by its European neighbours, leaders from the continent declared they would accelerate efforts to boost their own defences and rely less on the US.

That, in theory, puts them on the same page as Trump. His administration says it expects Europe to take primary responsibility for the conventional defence of the continent in the coming years. In return, Washington will keep its nuclear umbrella over Europe and uphold NATO’s mutual defence pact.

A ‘european pillar’ of nato

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged their commitment in Munich to a stronger “European pillar” within NATO. But a stronger home-grown defence is also a hedge against Trump or a future US leader deciding not to defend Europe.

“This new beginning is right under all circumstances. It is right if the United States continues to distance itself. It is right as long as we cannot guarantee our own security on our own,” Merz told the conference on Friday.

In another sign of the nervousness surrounding US security commitments, Merz said he had begun talks with Macron about a European nuclear deterrence.

France holds the only truly independent nuclear deterrent in Europe since Britain’s Trident nuclear missiles are made and maintained by the United States.

Will deeds match words?

The big question for Europe and its leaders is whether they can match their words with deeds – to buy and develop new weapons systems, to fill gaps in their arsenals in areas such as long-range missiles and to coordinate their work.

The signs so far are mixed.

Driven by fears of Russia and exhortations from Trump, European countries have boosted defence spending. NATO members agreed last year to raise spending on core defence from 2% of GDP to 3.5% of GDP, with a further 1.5% to be spent on other security-related investments.

European defence spending has risen nearly 80% since before the war in Ukraine began, von der Leyen told the Munich conference.

European countries are forming consortia to build complex weapons systems. Defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden signed a letter of intent on Thursday to advance work on European Long-range Strike Approach (ELSA), a project to develop “deep strike” missiles.

On the sidelines of a NATO defence ministers’ meeting on Thursday, coalitions of European countries agreed to work together on four projects, including ballistic missile defence and air-launched munitions.

Projects struggle due to squabbles

But some high-profile pan-European projects have struggled to get off the ground. The future of the FCAS French-German-Spanish fighter jet project has been in the balance for months, with the partners unable to agree on the share of work for the companies involved.

Debates on European Union defence projects have been accompanied by wrangling over whether they should be limited to EU companies or open to others.

France has been the strongest advocate to “buy European” provisions while the likes of Germany and The Netherlands argue for a more open approach.

Amid the debates in the swanky Bayerischer Hof hotel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy brought home the reality of modern war, surrounded by giant screens showing images and statistics of Russian attacks. Last month alone, Ukraine was attacked by more than 6,000 drones and 150 missiles.

“During this war, weapons evolve faster than political decisions meant to stop them,” he told the delegates.

Israel’s cabinet yesterday (15 February) approved further measures to tighten Israel’s control over the occupied West Bank and make it easier for settlers to buy land, a move Palestinians called a “de facto annexation”.

The West Bank is among the territories that Palestinians seek for a future independent state. Much of it is under Israeli military control, with limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas run by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an election later this year, deems the establishment of any Palestinian state a security threat.

His ruling coalition, which has a large voter base in the settlements, includes many members who want Israel to annex the West Bank, land captured in the 1967 Middle East war, to which Israel cites biblical and historical ties.

Ministers voted in favour of beginning a process of land registration for the first time since 1967, a week after approving another series of measures in the West Bank that drew international condemnation.

“We are continuing the revolution of settlement and strengthening our hold across all parts of our land,” said far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said land registration was a vital security measure. In contrast, the cabinet said in a statement it was an “appropriate response to illegal land registration processes promoted by the Palestinian Authority.”

The foreign ministry stated that the measure would promote transparency and facilitate the resolution of land disputes.

The Palestinian presidency condemned the step, saying it constitutes “a de facto annexation of occupied Palestinian territory and a declaration of the commencement of annexation plans aimed at entrenching the occupation through illegal settlement activity.”

Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said the measure could lead to the dispossession of Palestinians from up to half of the West Bank.

US President Donald Trump has ruled out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, but his administration has not sought to curb Israel’s accelerated settlement building.

The United Nations’ highest court said in a non-binding advisory opinion in 2024 that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal and should be ended as soon as possible. Israel disputes this view.