A recent survey has revealed distinct occupational divides in political support ahead of the February 2026 national elections, with businesspeople, farmers, and the working class showing greater support for the BNP, while students and private-sector employees lean toward Jamaat-e-Islami.

The findings come from the People’s Election Pulse Survey Round 2 – Part 3, conducted between 2 and 15 September among 10,413 voters. The survey was carried out by Innovision Consulting, BRAIN, and Voice for Reform.

Presenting the results on Monday (13 October) at an event titled “Social Dynamics on Electoral Preference” in Dhaka, Innovision Managing Director Md Rubaiyath Sarwar said the data highlights how profession, gender, and age shape voter behavior.

Among businesspeople, 37.9% support BNP, 24.3% Jamaat, and 15.9% Awami League. Farmers back BNP (39.2%) and Jamaat (27.9%), while the working class favours BNP (37.7%) and Jamaat (26.6%). Students lean slightly toward Jamaat (27.6%) over BNP (25.7%), while private-sector employees prefer BNP (34.4%) and Jamaat (28.7%).

Fahim Mashroor, co-convener of Voice for Reform, noted that social and occupational identity strongly influence political preferences and that parties should factor these divides into their election strategies.

On voter satisfaction with local political activities, Jamaat led with 30.4%, followed by NCP (23.7%) and BNP (21%).

Rubaiyath added that indecision remains high among women (48%) and Gen Z voters, who are uncertain about parties and electoral fairness. He emphasized that female voters, young voters, and minority groups will play a decisive role in the 2026 election and that most respondents favor a balanced foreign policy toward India and Pakistan.

MN/