The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance on Sunday formally demanded a recount in 32 constituencies, alleging widespread irregularities in vote counting and result tabulation in the 13th parliamentary election. However, the Election Commission (EC) said it has no authority to intervene further following publication of the official gazette and advised the alliance to seek remedy through the High Court.
A delegation from the alliance met four election commissioners at the Commission’s headquarters in Agargaon in the capital. The team included Liaison Committee Media Coordinator Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer, Jamaat leader Najibur Rahman Momen, Labour Party’s Mostafizur Rahman Iran and leaders of the National Citizens Party (NCP).
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad said the alliance had submitted a list of 32 constituencies where its candidates were narrowly defeated and where, it alleged, result manipulation had taken place.
“We raised concerns regarding irregularities in vote counting and the publication of results,” Azad said.
“Particularly in 32 constituencies, our candidates lost by slim margins. We believe manipulation occurred in the counting process and in the preparation of result sheets. We have demanded recounts to ensure transparency.”
Azad criticised the EC for issuing the gazette notification of elected candidates late on 13 February, a day after polling was held on 12 February. He claimed the Commission had been urged earlier that morning not to publish the gazette for disputed seats until complaints were addressed.
“Candidates were told there was no scope for complaints once the gazette had been issued,” he said. “We requested suspension of publication for contested seats and sought recounts before final notification. Instead, the gazette was issued at 11pm.”
The alliance alleged ballot stuffing, use of illicit funds, intimidation of agents and clashes in certain areas. Azad claimed that in some polling centres, ballots were stamped by officials or party activists, agents were forced out during counting, and result sheets showed overwriting, alterations and missing signatures. In one constituency in Dhaka, he alleged, a result sheet was written in pencil and agents’ names were altered.
He also questioned discrepancies between preliminary vote records and final tallies. “We collected data on votes cast up to 4:20pm. Yet the final results showed unusually high figures in some centres. This raises doubts about whether additional ballots were used,” he said.
Responding to the complaints, Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar said the Commission had acted within the law and that any further challenge must be pursued judicially.
“Their claims require legal scrutiny. The law provides them with the opportunity. If there are election-related complaints, they may approach the High Court,” he told reporters.
Rejecting suggestions that the gazette had been issued in haste, he said it could have been published earlier under the rules. He added that extensive security and monitoring measures were in place during the polls, including armed Ansar personnel at centres, CCTV coverage, drones, helicopters and body-worn cameras.
“In such a situation, everything was as clear as a mirror,” he said. “Whenever any incident came to our attention, we addressed it. Overall, we consider the election more successful than expected and are satisfied with its conduct.”
The alliance, however, indicated it would pursue legal options, insisting that its electoral rights had been compromised and that judicial intervention was now necessary.
