Three Elections Rigged via ‘Masterplan’: Inquiry Report Reveals Hasina’s Collaborators
The investigation reveals that a section of the administration, police, armed forces, and intelligence agencies were actively involved in executing these polls, effectively stripping the Election Commission of its authority.
The report, submitted on Monday, asserts that the ultimate collapse of the electoral process occurred because the administration replaced the Commission as the primary force in election management. Commission sources noted that while thousands of officials were involved in irregularities, the Election Commission secretaries of those periods played a comprehensive role in favor of the Awami League.
A Decade of Staged Polls
The inquiry traced a systematic erosion of democracy starting from 2009. After the Awami League abolished the Caretaker Government system, the 2014 election was "entirely staged." By state-level mandate, 153 MPs were declared elected unopposed, while the remaining seats underwent a premeditated voting process.
The manipulation intensified in 2018 during the 11th parliamentary election. The report confirms that ballot papers were stamped the night before the polls in 80% of voting centers. For the 12th election in 2024, the regime utilized "dummy candidates" to create a facade of competition following the boycott by the BNP and other opposition parties.
State Apparatus as Political Tools
Beyond the polling booths, the report highlights the use of state intelligence and armed forces to implement electoral strategies. Tactics included imposing strict curbs on the media, the systematic destruction of election documents, and the use of harassment-motivated lawsuits to fracture opposition parties.
Commission head and former High Court Justice Shamim Hasnain submitted the report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. Upon reviewing the findings, Professor Yunus remarked that the process had been "shamelessly distorted," lamenting that the nation was punished using public funds intended for democracy. He called for the immediate identification of those involved to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Recommendations for Reform
To safeguard future elections, the commission recommended ending the political involvement of intelligence agencies and ensuring that Election Commission officials are no longer recruited from the administration cadre. The report also suggested bringing the 2008 election under the scope of the investigation.
The commission concluded that a deep "Masterplan" had been in motion since 2008 to retain power. This included the formation of a loyal Election Commission and the creation of a specialized "Election Cell" within the administration to bypass legal transparency.
