BNP files complaint against 24 including 3 CECs
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has filed a complaint against 24 people, including three former chief election commissioners (CECs) on allegations of conducting farcical elections.
The three former CECs, who have been named in the complaint are: Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, who oversaw the 2014 election; AKM Nurul Huda, who was in charge during the 2018 election; and Kazi Habibul Awal, the CEC for the 2024 election.
A five-member delegation led by BNP executive committee member Md Salahuddin Ahmed submitted the complaint at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in the capital on Sunday.
Other names also include election commissioners and election officials who held posts during the 2014 election. They are Md Abdul Mobarak, Abu Hanif, Brig. Gen. (retd) Zabed Ali, Shah Nawaz, election secretary, and other officials of the election commission.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former inspector general of police (IGP) Hasan Mahmud Khandker and other government officials of the government ousted during the July uprising, were also named.
The complaint also includes names from the 2018 election, such as then CEC AKM Nurul Huda, and election commissioners Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam, and Brig. (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.
Others named from that time include the then IGP Javed Patwary, then Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Benazir Ahmed, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, former head of Special Branch (SB) Md Monirul Islam, former head of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) (unnamed), former head of National Security Intelligence (NSI) (unnamed), and former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Dhaka Range Syed Nurul Alam.
For the 2024 national election, the complaint names then CEC Kazi Habibul Awal, and election commissioners Brig. Gen. (retd) Ahsan Habib, Alamgir Hossain, Anisur Rahman; and the then-election secretary.
Earlier in the morning, the BNP delegation also submitted a separate petition to CEC AMM Nasir Uddin.
In the complaint, BNP accused law enforcement of arresting, injuring, and even killing BNP and Jatiya Oikya Front members ahead of the 2018 parliamentary election. They also urged the commission to take action against the then CEC for failing to prevent attacks on opposition leaders and activists.
Regarding the two petitions, BNP executive committee member Md Salahuddin Ahmed said the three past elections under the fascist government were unjust and a farce. When BNP and Oikya Front candidates went to submit their nomination papers, Awami League activists attacked them. Multiple complaints were submitted to the then election commissions, but no action was taken.
Raising allegations of police harassment against BNP and Oikya Front members, Salahuddin Ahmed said that law enforcement officers subjected them to inhumane torture and false cases. That is why formal requests have been filed to the incumbent CEC for action under electoral laws, as well as a complaint filed with the Sher-E-Bangla Nagar police station naming the three former CECs, the election commission, Sheikh Hasina, and heads of various security agencies.
Salahuddin Ahmed further said that CEC AMM Nasir Uddin assured them that the election commission does not take sides and will take appropriate action on the complaint in a neutral manner.
Regarding the complaint, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar police station officer-in-charge Md Imaul Haque said the BNP’s complaint has been received and accepted and will be reviewed.
Appropriate action will be taken according to the law after examination, he added.