Dhaka, Oct. 14 -- Some 150,000 abandoned electronic voting machines (EVMs) are posing health risks and costing taxpayers money to store, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has warned.

It pointed to serious gaps in the country's electronic waste management.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman raised the concerns on Wednesday at an event in Dhaka marking International E-Waste Day 2026.

The Election Commission's data show that the machines lie unused across 41 districts, with no clear framework defining who owns them or is responsible for their disposal.

Authorities are also paying rent for the premises where they are stored.

"We have been left in a state of complete helplessness," Iftekharuzzaman said, describing the lack o...