Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has once again been denied bail, this time by the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, in connection with a case filed against him for criminal breach of trust and sedition.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Nargis Islam after a hearing. Awal’s lawyer, Tapas Chandra Das, had sought bail on his behalf, but the court rejected the application.
This follows a similar ruling from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, where Awal had also been denied bail earlier.
Kazi Habibul Awal was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) from the Moghbazar area on June 25. The next day, the court granted a three-day remand. Since then, he has been in jail.
On June 22, a case was filed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station by Mohammad Salah Uddin Khan, a member of the BNP National Executive Committee, accusing Awal and 23 others, including former CECs Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad and Nurul Huda, of manipulating elections under political influence.
The case was later updated to include charges of sedition and criminal breach of trust.
Kazi Habibul Awal assumed office as the chief election commissioner in 2022. During his tenure, he oversaw the countrywide city corporation, union council, and the 2024 national elections.
However, his leadership faced significant political controversy and criticism. Following a mass uprising and a shift in political dynamics, he resigned along with other members of the Election Commission on September 5, 2024, a month after the fall of the Awami League government.
