Dhaka, Feb 17 (.) Issuing a scathing criticism against the recent Feb 12 twin polls in Bangladesh, the Awami League has alleged the elections conducted under the leadership of Chief Advisor Md Yunus of being “staged”, pointed to widespread irregularities before, and during voting.
In a strongly worded statement, the party highlighted videos circulating on the eve of polling, which showed obvious signs of heavy tampering. Citing video footage obtained from a polling centre in Naogaon district, the currently-banned party alleged that many result sheets were already being signed, even before the vote counting had begun.
Noting that journalists present at the centre had repeatedly questioned the presiding officer about the pre-signed sheet, with the official being unable to offer any kind of clear explanation and reportedly sought to avoid further questions, the AL, citing such incidents slammed the Feb 12 elections as “nothing more than a farcical performance” and accused authorities of orchestrating what it said was a “mockery of democracy.”
Further mocking the polls, the Awami League further said that the “unprecedented elections” were one largely comprising “invisible voters,” alleging that reports came in from multiple polling centres which described empty booths, pre-stamped ballots, proxy voting, weak enforcement, with ballot papers already being marked in some areas the night before polling.
Accusing rival forces of engaging in systematic rigging and political malpractice, the party alleged that it was a “voter-less election” where rival forces raided polling stations and stuffed ballots marking party symbols in favour of their own candidates.
It also pointed to a purportedly leaked video from Noakhali-6 (Hatia), which it said showed numerous ballot papers stamped with the BNP’s “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol inside a polling centre.
According to the party’s account, activists occupied the station and marked ballots in advance, casting fraudulent votes, which was both undemocratic and illegal.
The party argued that an election marked by empty polling centres, ballot snatching, advance stamping of papers and compromised security – especially in the presence of such heavy law enforcement – could hardly be considered free or fair by any metric.
. . KK