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Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has formally challenged the legitimacy of the February 12 elections, characterising the event as a "disgraceful chapter" for the nation's democracy.
In a statement addressing the conduct of the polls, the former Prime Minister alleged widespread administrative manipulation and numerical fraud, asserting that the reported figures did not reflect the reality of public participation. Sheikh Hasina highlighted a significant disconnect between the quiet polling stations and the final statistics provided by the Election Commission. "Voters were absent at the polling stations; yet votes appeared on the counting tables!" the statement read. The Awami League leader pointed to "highly inconsistent and unrealistic patterns" in the data, noting that while only 14.96 per cent of votes were cast by 11:00 a.m., the figure surged to 32.88 per cent by noon. The statement argued that this sharp increase implied a rate of approximately 381,339 votes per minute across the country. This would mean that a vote was cast every 5.16 seconds at every polling station, which the party described as an almost impossible rate, given that media reports estimated it took between 1.5 and 3 minutes for an individual to cast a ballot. The final reported turnout of 59.44 per cent was further questioned as being "unrealistic" in comparison with specific voter demographics. The statement mentioned that only 3 per cent of eligible voters in prisons and 7 per cent of overseas voters reportedly cast their ballots. Additionally, the Awami League alleged that state resources were utilised to influence the referendum held on the same day, citing the use of specific markings on ballots and the absence of signatures from anyone other than presiding officers on result sheets. Reports of irregularities were also noted from the day prior to the election, including allegations of ballot paper theft, the advance signing of result sheets, and instances in which voters found their votes had already been recorded. The statement suggested that the delay in announcing the referendum results, in comparison with the national election results, has created a public perception of fraud. The Awami League President maintained that the election has deepened political uncertainty and disillusionment rather than restoring democracy. The party, which advocated a peaceful boycott of the polls, has now called for the annulment of the election and the resignation of Muhammad Yunus. Further demands include the withdrawal of cases against political prisoners, the lifting of restrictions on Awami League activities, and the restoration of voting rights through a free and fair election conducted under a neutral caretaker government. The statement concluded by warning that results stemming from such a controversial process would fail to bring stability to the country. (ANI)
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