National Lawyers Alliance (NLA) has issued a strong condemnation of the BNP-supported Blue Panel (Nil Panel) for alleged vote engineering, fraud, and “fascist-style” rigging during the 2026-2027 Executive Committee elections of Bar Association.
In a statement issued Friday, the NLA alleged that the elections, held on 29 and 30 April, were marred by pre-planned irregularities, bias, and widespread manipulation at every stage.
The alliance claimed that the entire process, from the formation of Election Commission to the casting of ballots, was under the absolute control of the BNP-backed Blue Panel, which reportedly misused its majority to orchestrate the fraud.
Serious Irregularities alleged
The NLA detailed several grave allegations, including the casting of fake votes, entering polling booths to forcibly stamp ballot papers, and the expulsion of commissioners and agents from the opposition panel.
It further alleged that ballots were distributed without proper verification and that many voters discovered their votes had already been cast through fraudulent means.
The alliance described these actions not as isolated incidents, but as a “pre-planned vote robbery” that repeats the dark chapters of previous fascist regimes.
The NLA expressed deep concern that the Blue Panel, which had itself suffered under past autocratic suppression and irregularities, was now employing the same tactics to compromise the electoral process.
The statement emphasised that the primary aspiration of the July 2024 Mass Movement was to restore democratic rights and build justice-based institutions. The NLA asserted that such a “farcical election” constitutes a betrayal of the blood spilled by the martyrs of the July Revolution.
Demands for accountability
Advocate Sakil Ahmad, chief organiser of National Lawyers Alliance, demanded that those involved in fake voting, booth tampering, and the expulsion of opposition agents be immediately identified and brought to justice.
The NLA further called for the implementation of necessary measures to ensure a neutral, transparent, and acceptable electoral system to prevent the recurrence of such irregularities and to uphold the democratic traditions of the legal community.
