Bangladesh’s Election Commission to probe Awami League-era national elections

Bangladesh's Election Commission probes past election controversies to ensure free, fair, and transparent future elections.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) has decided to investigate irregularities and shortcomings in all previous elections, including the three preceding elections that have been controversial during the Awami League-rule in 2014, 2018 and 2024.

The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported that following a meeting, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin instructed all 10 regional election officers to examine the reasons behind the decline in the electoral system and submit detailed reports.

The CEC issued written directives, asking regional officials to identify past irregularities and deficiencies and report their findings to the EC secretariat.

The 2014, 2018 and 2024 national elections are widely regarded as some of the most controversial in the country’s history.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and allied parties boycotted the 2014 election, resulting in one-sided voting and unopposed election of 153 candidates, an unprecedented occurrence in the country’s electoral history.

The 2018 election was marred by allegations of rigging and came to be known as the “midnight election”, with the BNP and its allies winning only seven seats.

The BNP and like-minded parties abstained from participating in the January 2024 election that faced criticism for allegedly fielding dummy candidates from the ruling Awami League as opposition representatives. As a result, the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League managed to secure a fourth consecutive term in office.