The parliamentary elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024 were not genuine democratic contests but carefully engineered exercises carried out through state machinery, administrative control, and coordinated fraud, says a report.
The National Election Inquiry Commission (NEIC) submitted the investigative report to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, describing the period between 2009 and 2024 as an era of “institutionalised election manipulation” that eroded public trust in democracy.
The five-member commission, headed by former High Court Justice Shamim Hasnain, submitted the report on Wednesday.
Other members included former additional secretary Shamim Al Mamun, Dhaka University’s Associate Professor Kazi Mahfuzul Haque, lawyer Tazrian Akram Hossain, and election expert Md Abdul Alim.
The 326-page report concludes that none of the three elections were free, fair, or credible. Instead, it says, a planned model was designed to ensure the victory of the then-ruling Awami League, whose activities are currently banned.
Systemic Manipulation
Drawing on more than 1,000 public complaints, witness accounts, official records, and a nationwide survey of 3,000 voters, the National Election Inquiry Commission found that election fraud was not occasional or localised.
“It was planned, coordinated, and executed using government institutions,” the report states.
According to the findings, the EC, law enforcement agencies, intelligence bodies, and local administrations played central roles in shaping outcomes.
“From candidate nomination to the announcement of results, every stage of the electoral process was managed to produce predetermined outcomes,” the report observes.
2014 Election: A ‘One-Sided Exercise’
Irregularities in the national election were even more widespread, the commission notes, calling it the most openly manipulated poll in Bangladesh’s history.
Investigators found that in nearly 99 percent of polling centres, ballots were stamped in favour of ruling party candidates on the night before election day. At least six percent of centres recorded 100 percent voter turnout—figures the report describes as statistically impossible.
The use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), introduced without adequate safeguards, further undermined the process. The commission alleges that many machines were pre-programmed to favour ruling party candidates, while opposition polling agents were barred from entering centres.
Official results gave the Awami League 257 seats, despite evidence of manipulation.
2018 Polls: Night Voting
Irregularities in the 2018 parliamentary election were even more extensive, the commission observed, terming it the most blatantly manipulated poll in Bangladesh’s history.
Investigators found that in approximately 99 percent of polling centres, ballots were stamped in favour of ruling party candidates on the night before election day.
At least six percent of centres recorded 100 percent voter turnout, a figure the report called “statistically impossible.”
The introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) without proper safeguards further compromised the process.
According to the commission, many machines were pre-programmed to favour the ruling party, while opposition polling agents were barred from entering centres. Despite evidence of fraud, official results awarded the Awami League 257 of 300 seats.
2024 Election: Dummy Candidates, Dummy Contest
According to the report, the January 2024 election, held amid a major opposition boycott, was also deeply flawed and orchestrated.
The polls featured 62 independent candidates, mostly Awami League affiliates, to create an illusion of fairness, amid pre-poll rigging and boundary manipulations.
Although the Election Commission claimed turnout of 41.8 percent, the commission estimated actual voter participation at only 15 to 20 percent.
Irregularities were reported in 298 out of 300 constituencies, making the election a “politically staged exercise,” the report said.
EC Lost All Independence
A central finding of the investigation is that the EC gradually became an instrument of the ruling government.
The report stated, “Election commissioners appointed between 2009 and 2024 were selected through politically influenced ‘search committees,’ undermining constitutional neutrality.”
Restrictive media guidelines were imposed to curb critical reporting during election periods, the report cited. It observed that the Election Commission became a facilitator of rigging rather than a guardian of democracy.
A Call for Accountability
The report concluded that the credibility of Bangladesh’s electoral system had been “deeply shattered” and rebuilding public trust would require decisive action.
“These elections denied citizens their constitutional rights and turned democracy into a hollow ritual. Accountability is essential to ensure this never happens again,” the report said.
The interim government is expected to review the findings and announce an electoral reform roadmap.
