Controversial winTaib Ahmed and Sadiqur Rahman compare the statistics of January 5 polls, provided by the Election Commission, against information by local media and authorities from some constituencies

A month has elapsed since the controversial 10th parliamentary elections

on January 5 that was marred by low turnout, opposition boycott and

widespread violence that claimed at least 20 lives.

The violence had forced the Election Commission to suspend elections in

nearly 600 polling stations across the country, resulting in withholding

election results of eight constituencies.

Voters across the country, though most were denied their voting right, are

still in confusion about the credibility of the newly-formed national

parliament and the incumbent cabinet, as, they believe, that most parliament members do not represent the people

of the country.

Election engineering?

According to media reports, booths of around 41 polling centres of some 11 districts were closed by 4’oclock on

election day without getting even a single vote for any contestants. New Age correspondent at Lalmonirhat district

informed that no votes were cast at 28 out of 38 polling centres in four unions of the district sadar upazila under

Lalmonirhat-3 constituency. Only 380 out of 95,260 registered voters had cast their votes in the remaining polling

centres. 

Casting votes were counted at below 25 per cent in 18 constituencies. The constituencies were - Chittagong-9 and

11, Dhaka-4, 6, 15, 16 and 17, Sylhet-2, Bogra-4, Moulovibazar-2, Brahmanbaria-2, Tangail-6, Feni-3, Thakurgaon-

1, Rangpur-3, Gaibandha-2, Jhinaidah-3 and Satkhira-2.  

New Age reporters, who were monitoring polling centres in Dhaka district, reported that local AL leaders and

activists were seen moving in groups in and around the polling centers at Mirpur, Banani, Uttara, Ashkona and

Gulshan among other areas. While flouting electoral rules, they were allowed to enter the booths, allegedly to stuff

ballots. A presiding officer, deployed at Ashkona tells Xtra, ‘We were helpless. Even the police could not stop the

entrance of the local leaders in the centres. We were asked not to examine the identities of voters.’

There were allegations of vote rigging from some candidates hailing from the grand alliance.

The EC’s statistics showed that the highest rate of voters turnout was recorded at 90.36 per cent in Gopalganj 2

constituency while the lowest voters turnout was at 10.88 per cent in Dhaka 15 constituency.

Statistics from the EC were questionable in most cases.

For example, it was found, during a visit to Danish Master Memorial High School polling centre at Uttara of Dhaka

18 parliamentary constituency, that a total of 17 votes were cast until 2:00pm in the polling station. As EC claimed

that 241 votes were counted in the centre, local residents found it hard to believe that 224 votes were cast in the

centre during the last two polling hours (from 2:00pm to 4:00pm).

On the other hand, the presiding officer of a polling station at Gulshan Model School and College had told newsmen

that only three votes were cast until 2:00pm in the polling station. But the EC’s statistics showed later that a total of

353 votes were cast.

According to EC statistics, in 18 constituencies, votes were counted at over 60 per cent. These were Gopalganj-1,2

and 3 (ruling Awami League stronghold and home district of prime minister Sheikh Hasina), Bhola-2 and 3,

Lalmonirhat-1, Mymensigh-10, Netrokona-3, Chittagang-3 and 13, Jhalokathi-1, Potuakhali-3, Jamalpur-1 and 5,

Brahmanbaria-3, Cumilla-5, Barishal-4 and Sherpur-1.  Of the areas, only in five constituencies- Gopalganj 1,2 and

3, Bhola-3 and Lalmonirhat-1,  votes were counted at over 70 per cent.

But there are varying allegations against the total number of votes cast.

Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon, a controversial candidate of AL who had been blamed for a murder, has won in

Bhola-3 constituency where 71.52 per cent votes were apparently cast.  Nurunnabi got 171,855 votes while his rival

candidate AKM Nazrul Islam bagged only 9,072 votes.

Local reporters, who closely monitored the polls in the area, allege that non-registered people were used as voters

in the polls. Shahadat Shahin, a local journalist says, ‘While the polling centres were empty from the beginning of

the polls till noon, polling officers informed that 50 to 60 per cent votes had been cast after noon.’ He refers to one

Sabura Khatun, who informed him that she herself had cast 78 votes.

Shawkat Hossain, editor of Ajker Bhola, informs Xtra, ‘Even the polling officers were asked to cast votes in many

centres.’

EC’s indifference  

But the EC has turned a deaf ear to all of these allegations, labeling it as ‘successful’. It even did not launch

investigations into these allegations ostensibly to serve the purpose of the ruling party.

When people from all walks of life as well as different local and international organizations estimated that the actual

voter turnout during the January 5 polls could hardly be 20 per cent, the EC had underlined 40 per cent turnout.  

When this ‘40 per cent voter turnout’ as deemed by the EC was questioned by reporters, the Chief Election

Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed had replied, ‘We will have to keep trust in our officials and the figure of

voting percentage is believable as those were sent by our own officials.’  

It is to be noted that the district deputy commissioners who are usually posted to different districts considering their

political affiliation are appointed the returning officers in the general elections. 

The CEC avoided a question whether the Election Commission will launch any investigations to look into how voter

turnout in some districts reached up to 90 per cent whereas it was an average of 22.13 per cent in nine

constituencies in Dhaka which witnessed no violence on polls day. 

Wishing anonymity, an election commissioner tells New Age Xtra, ‘The CEC had nothing to do but to resort to such

statements as a means of escape.’

The immediate-past chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, said on Wednesday that the culture of vote

rigging and ballot-stuffing has been revived in country’s electoral system through the ‘voter-less’ and ‘unwarranted’

10th parliamentary election held on January 5.

He said, ‘It’s painful that this unwarranted election has destroyed to many extents the electoral system we had

introduced through hard work and practiced during the time from 2007 to 2008 for paving the way for a fair election.’

 ‘I myself saw how people were stuffing ballots openly at different booths in January 5 polls. We had tried hard to

bring an end to this culture of rigging and ballot-stuffing. But the culture has regained through this voter-less

election,’ he added.