Dhaka, Feb. 8 -- The Chief Advisor's Office (CAO) says the figures cited in a recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on election-related killings require careful verification and contextual assessment, warning against their "blind repetition".

In a statement issued on Sunday, the CAO noted that TIB reported the deaths of 15 political leaders and activists in the 36 days following the announcement of the election schedule.

While the figure has gained prominence in public discourse, the statement said it has been circulated without sufficient verification and deserves closer scrutiny.

According to police records, the statement said, only five of the killings during that period can be directly linked to political aff...