Ex CEC Habibul Awal calls 2024 polls as ‘dummy’

Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal today admitted that he had arranged a ‘dummy election’ in 2024, but rejected any allegations of financial embezzlement or corruption against him.

“I confess that I arranged a dummy election. The one-sided election was held as political parties could not reach to a consensus in lack of their political understanding. But there is no question of taking bribe for the election as I was never indulged in financial irregularities or corruption in my life”, he said.

The former CEC gave this statement in response to a question from Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman during a hearing at the CMM Court.

About the allegation of casting vote in the night, Kazi Habibul Awal said, “I was in deep sleep when ballots were sealed at night.”

Awal was brought to the CMM court around 12:50pm and kept in the court's lock-up. At 1:25pm, he was produced before the magistrate.

About an allegation of giving Taka four to five lakh to each electoral official of 2024 election as allowance comparing to Taka 20,000/25,000 for previous elections, Habibul Awal said he doesn’t know anything about it.

The court told him, “the nation had huge expectation on you, but you could not hold a controversy-free election.” 

In reply the former CEC asked the court which election in Bangladesh was held without any controversy.

“Even in the polls of 1973 soon after independence, the leader like Sheikh Mujib had resorted to vote rigging,” he said adding “It was due to greediness for the power which is dangerous.”