In a commendable move towards upholding electoral integrity amid one of Bangladesh’s most disputed elections, authorities have filed a case against 40-50 unidentified individuals following a chaotic incident at the Dakshin Gunrajdi Government Primary School polling centre in Chandpur Sadar Upazila during the election and referendum on Thursday.
This legal step, initiated promptly after the recovery of 203 pre-stamped ballot papers and attempts at ballot snatching, underscores the judiciary’s vital role in addressing the rampant irregularities that plagued the vote—marked by pre-election ballot stuffing, midnight rigging, and grossly inflated turnout figures.
Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Foyez Ahmed confirmed the development on Sunday (February 14), highlighting the swift response to the disturbance. According to case details, the incident unfolded around 4pm on Thursday (February 12) during ongoing voting.
A sudden uproar erupted at the centre, prompting Judicial Magistrate Nasrullah to arrive with police forces by 4:20pm to restore order.
Upon arrival, the magistrate witnessed Ansar and police personnel chasing several unidentified persons amid widespread disorder. Sensing the law enforcement presence, approximately 40-50 individuals fled the scene. A thorough search of the premises revealed that the miscreants had attempted to forcibly seize ballot papers, leaving 21 discarded on the road in front of the centre.
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In total, 203 stamped ballots were recovered from inside and outside the facility, believed to have been targeted for removal or destruction to manipulate the vote.
This recovery aligns with broader accusations from across the political spectrum—including the Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Jamaat-e-Islami—of systemic rigging. Reports from Noakhali-5, Barguna-1, Jhenaidah, and Mymensingh detailed similar pre-stamping of ballots the night before polling, fake voting, and ballot box stuffing, often captured on CCTV or viral videos.
The Election Commission’s (EC) claimed turnout of 59.44%—equating to over 75 million votes from 127.7 million registered voters—has been lambasted as unrealistic, with critics like Awami League President Sheikh Hasina pointing to “industrial-scale manipulation.” She highlighted improbable surges, such as a 17.92% jump between 11 AM and noon, implying an impossible 381,339 votes per minute, far exceeding typical polling rates of one vote every 5-10 seconds per centre.
In her statement, Sheikh Hasina described the election as a “pre-planned deception,” noting empty polling stations nationwide despite the EC’s figures. Expatriate and prisoner turnout was dismal (around 7% and 3%, respectively), further exposing the inflated claims. Even BNP, which claimed a landslide victory under Tarique Rahman, raised concerns over delayed results and “suspicious” narrow losses in some constituencies. Jamaat-e-Islami, accused of midnight rigging, denied charges but could not escape the cross-party outcry.
The Chandpur case, filed under Sections 74(6), 81(1)(a)(b), and 78(1A)(c) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, was lodged on Friday (February 13) by Bench Assistant Yamin Hossain on the magistrate’s directive. Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Nazir Fakhruddin Swapan confirmed the matter is under investigation, with OC Foyez Ahmed personally inspecting the site and assigning Sub-Inspector Ferdous to probe further.
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Senior journalist Probir Kumar Sarker said that this legal action is a beacon of hope in a poll widely boycotted by the Awami League—banned from participating through controversial amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act—and decried as a “voterless farce.” By seizing the recovered ballots in the presence of witnesses and ensuring proper documentation, authorities have demonstrated a commitment to transparency and accountability.
As investigations proceed, this case could set a precedent for addressing the election’s deep flaws, including the delayed referendum results (announced five hours after parliamentary ones) and psychological tactics like pre-marked “Yes” options on ballots.
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