Desk Report,
Government forms committee to investigate allegations of three controversial elections
The government has formed a committee to investigate allegations raised about the three controversial parliamentary elections (held in 2014, 2018 and 2024) held during the Awami League government that was ousted in a student-public uprising. The committee has also been tasked with making recommendations for holding fair elections in the future.
Government forms committee to investigate allegations of three controversial elections
Former High Court Justice Shamim Hasnain has been appointed as the chairman of the five-member committee. The committee members include former Additional Secretary Shamim Al Mamun, Associate Professor of Law Department of Dhaka University Kazi Mahfuzul Haque, Lawyer Tazrian Akram Hossain and Election Expert Md. Abdul Alim.
The formation of the committee was announced in a Cabinet Division notification on Thursday. The committee has been asked to submit a report by September 30. The Cabinet Division will provide secretarial support to the committee. The committee will be able to co-opt more members if needed for the investigation.
The notification said that three parliamentary elections were held in 2014, 2018 and 2024. These three elections have been widely criticized both at home and abroad. There are strong allegations that the Awami League was elected in these elections through a process that undermined the people’s right to vote through various strategies. There are also serious allegations against those conducting these elections of violating the obligation of running the state through elected representatives as stipulated in the Constitution of Bangladesh. There are fears that this has endangered the rule of law, democracy and fundamental human rights in the country.
The notification further states that in such a context, the interim government has decided to investigate the corruption, irregularities and criminal activities that took place in these elections in order to ensure the people’s right to vote in the future, safeguard democracy in the country and prevent the threat of fascism and authoritarian rule.
The investigation committee will analyze the reports of election observers, domestic and foreign monitoring organizations and civil society organizations and complaints raised in the media regarding the national elections held in 2014, 2018 and 2024, receive and analyze the opinions of experts on various allegations of corruption, irregularities and criminal activities in the elections and their overall impartiality and acceptability.
In addition, it will analyze the role of the then ruling party and related individuals in limiting the participation of political parties and obstructing the people’s right to vote in these elections, analyze the role of the then Election Commission and its secretariat and administration, analyze the role of law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the election process, verify the allegations of financial irregularities raised against the then Election Commissions, determine responsibility for irregularities and make recommendations on the desired role, changes and outline of laws, regulations, Election Commission and administrative arrangements to ensure fair elections in the future.
