On Sunday (September 13, 2026) at 11:00 AM, a human chain and a program to submit a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner were organized by the Bangladesh Bhumihin Andolan in front of the Chief Election Commissioner's office in Agargaon, Dhaka, protesting the hike in security deposits for candidates in local government elections.

Presiding over the human chain program, Sheikh Nasir Uddin, General Secretary of the central committee of Bangladesh Bhumihin Andolan, stated that local government elections are a vital medium for ensuring public participation and grassroots representation in Bangladesh's democratic system. Qualified and popular individuals from ordinary backgrounds—especially the landless, poor, laborers, and low-income populations—have traditionally had the opportunity to contest local elections and serve the people. However, the decision to increase the security deposit amount for candidates will create a massive financial barrier for ordinary citizens and low-income prospective candidates. Keeping the right to run for election open to all strata of society rather than restricting it solely to financially solvent individuals aligns with the core spirit of democracy. Particularly, many competent and popular individuals from landless, farming, laboring, and marginalized communities could be deprived of contesting due to economic constraints, raising concerns about a decline in representation for common people in local governance.

In this context, the Bangladesh Bhumihin Andolan presented several key demands for kind consideration through the program: (1) Reconsider and withdraw the decision to increase security deposits, or re-fix them at a logical previous level (proposing 10,000 Taka for Upazila Parishad Chairman/Municipal Mayor, 5,000 Taka for Upazila Vice Chairman, 3,000 Taka for Union Parishad Chairman, and 1,000 Taka for Union Parishad Member); (2) Ensure that economic capacity never acts as a barrier for ordinary and marginalized populations to run for office; (3) Take necessary steps to facilitate participation for qualified individuals from landless, peasant, worker, and low-income communities; (4) Implement effective measures by the Election Commission to make local elections free, fair, neutral, participatory, and citizen-friendly; (5) Refrain from making decisions in the electoral system that narrow the participation opportunities of ordinary citizens; and (6) Take necessary initiatives to ensure political and social participation of landless and marginalized groups under the slogan, "Rehabilitation first, rights to khas land, development after the landless masses."

Sheikh Nasir Uddin further expressed confidence that the Election Commission, as a constitutional institution, will always strive to safeguard citizens' voting rights and participation in elections. He strongly urged the Election Commission and the government to reconsider the security deposit hike, keeping public interest and democratic participation in mind.

Other speakers at the event included Md. Abdul Hamid, Joint General Secretary of the Justice and Democracy Party (JDP); Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Coordinator of Gono Sangskriti Sangstha; Chamiul Alam Rasu, Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Bhumihin Andolan; Shahin Mondal, Assistant General Secretary; Babor Chowdhury of the Center for Study of State; Liton Kobiraj, Dhaka District President of Bhumihin Andolan; Abul Hossain Omi, Executive Member of Rashtra Sangskar Andolan; and Asaduzzaman Bikash, Information and Publicity Secretary of Bhumihin Andolan, alongside leaders from various organizations such as Simon Rabbi, Shamim Ahmed, Parvez Hasan Suman, Shantanu Raju, and Chashi Mamun.