After what was billed the most competitive elections in decades, a new report prepared by Transparency International Bangladesh shows irregularities and alleged electoral malpractice in the country.
On the 30th of December 2018, Bangladesh held a hotly contested election which was marred by violence in certain polling stations as millions of citizens gathered to vote for a new parliament.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) is a non-governmental organisation working against corruption in the country and shortly after the elections, they released a damning report where they uncovered what they termed as ‘serious wrongdoing’ during the election.
In the document, TIB noted that is found irregularities in 47 out of the 50 seats they observed, including electoral offences such as ballot stuffing, fake votes and voter intimidation on the day. The Hindu reports that “the TIB also said security forces on the scene silently stood by when these irregularities took place. “Law-enforcement agencies, a section of administrative officials and election authorities were seen playing biased roles in the election,” Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB, who uses one name, said in a statement on January 15.”
Also, in its report as summarised by Reuters, TIB noted “the BNP-led opposition could not effectively campaign for votes, opposition workers were threatened by government agencies, and the Election Commission could not ensure a level-playing field for all parties.”
Following their reports, other observers have come out saying they witnessed irregularities at the polls as well. Notably, the president of the SAARC Human Rights Foundation said he believes the country should redo its elections, after a Canadian observer said she wishes she had not been a part of the process at all. This has now cast doubt on the entire election.
In response to this, the Bangladeshi government has issued a statement disregarding the reports. According to The Hindu newspaper, the “Information Minister Hasan Mahmud swiftly dismissed the report as fictitious, imaginary and deliberate. Mr. Mahmud said the report reeks of propaganda by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally, Jamaat-e-Islami. The Election Commission also brushed aside the TIB’s findings. “It’s a predetermined and imaginary report,” Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said.”
Iftekharuzzaman, the Executive Director of Transparency International’s Bangladesh branch, told reporters in Dhaka that “the Election Commission did not perform its role properly [and] we recommend an investigation by a judicial enquiry committee, because such an election is not positive for democracy.”
In response, the country’s electoral commission promised to look into the allegations.
Before the elections, however, the electoral commission came under fire for failing to respond to attacks on candidates of the opposition. Transparency International Bangladesh drew the commission’s attention to what The Daily Star described as “rampant violation of electoral codes and harassment of opposition parties’ candidates.”
TIB expressed concern over the country’s electoral commission’s apparent indifference to the situation and their refusal to warn perpetrators or stop them from carrying out these acts. “Issuing a press statement, TIB urged the EC to take effective and visible measures immediately in order to ensure a level-playing field for all political parties in the election.” Unfortunately, this fell on deaf ears.
While many expect that the elections criticisms will go away with time, it came as a huge contrast to the celebrations in the victors’ camp.
