Since its formation a year ago, the new Election Commission has largely failed to gain the opposition parties' trust, said political analysts.

When Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal in September unveiled a work plan for the next national election, he said gaining the political parties' confidence was a major challenge.

But despite opposition from major political parties like the BNP and the Jatiya Party, the EC in August announced that Electronic Voting Machines would be used in up to 150 constituencies.

However, the government in January shelved a plan to buy two lakh EVMs that would be needed to use in 150 constituencies.

The last two general elections were not held in a free or fair manner, and that eroded the general public's faith in ECs, said Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shusashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan).

The current EC has yet to do anything that would change people's perception, he said, adding that the EC's first year was marred by controversies.

In 2014 national polls, 153 of the 300 MPs were elected unopposed, and in 2018, widespread ballot box stuffing was reported the night before the election day. The commissions that held the polls were widely criticised for these matters.

The current EC took office on February 27, 2022.

The next day, Chief Election Commissioner Awal urged political parties to stay in the election race.

However, the current election commissioners on several occasions said it was not their job to ensure all parties participated in polls.

Since its formation, the EC's discussions on the preparation of an election roadmap and the use of EVMs were shunned by the BNP and several other political parties.

BNP Standing Committee Member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said, "Our decision is that we will not participate in an election under the current government. We were not part of the process in which this Election Commission was formed, had not given them recognition, and had not taken part in any activities of the commission. We have not changed our stance and that is why we did not join the talks."

It is impossible for the EC to hold a free and fair election under the incumbent government, he added.

In June, the EC asked Awami League MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar of Cumilla-6 to leave the constituency for allegedly violating the electoral code of conduct by joining the campaign trail of an individual running for mayor.

Days later, Awal said Bahar was not asked, but merely requested to leave Cumilla ahead of the city corporation polls.

In May, Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman told an event in Madaripur that the CEC would give $10 million to anyone who could find EVMs' faults.

A few days later, CEC Awal denied making any such offer.

At a meeting among deputy commissioners and superintendents of police in October, there was a commotion after Anisur talked about allegations that many officers were biassed, and they did not properly spend the government funds.

Contacted, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Ahsan Habib Khan said, "The controversies that are being talked about are no big deal. In some cases, misunderstandings led to controversies."

The EC earned praise from many after suspending Gaibandha-5 by-polls in October amid numerous reports of irregularities, said election expert Abdul Alim, adding that the way it held the Cumilla city polls was also praiseworthy.

"But the six recent by-elections were marked by poor turnout of voters," he said.

Meanwhile, CEC Awal yesterday again urged the major political parties to reach a consensus so that a participatory and acceptable election could be held.

The BNP high command has directed the party candidates of Sunday's polls to collect centre-wise results and information on “election anomalies” by today.

The party will compile all the data and submit them to the Election Commission soon, its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star yesterday.

On Monday night, the Jatiya Oikyafront leaders decided to submit a memorandum to the EC on December 3 compiling information on all “polls irregularities”.

Fakhrul will hold a meeting with the candidates at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office tomorrow morning, said Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the party.

A letter was sent to each of the candidates yesterday asking them to provide eight types of information, including on election anomalies, arrests and killings of BNP men, to the party, he said.

The ruling Awami League secured a landslide victory in Sunday's polls. The Oikyafront, led by the BNP and several other parties, rejected the result and demand a reelection.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda ruled out the demand saying there was no scope for holding any fresh election.

The BNP high command would prepare a summary report and brief foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka following the compilation of data on the centre-wise results and alleged polls anomalies, said a party source.

The high command was observing the overall situation and the reaction of the international community over the election.

Asked about the party's next course of action, a senior leader said they would not do anything hurriedly. 

“We will take some time as the party leaders and activists are devastated by government repression. We will certainly devise our next course of action once we turn around,” BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said.

The BNP high-ups have already decided that MPs elected from the party would not take oath as they have rejected the results alleging various polls irregularities, including ballot-stuffing and driving away of their polling agents.

A senior leader from the Oikyafront wishing anonymity said the main challenge for the BNP was to keep the unity within the combine and the 20-party alliance intact.

The Oikyafront nominated candidates in 299 constituencies, only seven of them won.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu today said those who were expelled from the party spread the fake news that Raushan Ershad declared herself chairman of the party.

"There was no such incident in Jatiya Party and there is no scope of this happening," he told The Daily Star.

Sources close to Raushan, the party's chief patron and leader of the opposition in parliament, said that she made no such announcements. 

Chunnu said the expelled people had used the name of Raushan to make up the fake news.

"I already talked with JP leaders who were said to have signed a letter [expressing no confidence in incumbent Chairman GM Quader] to Raushan Ershad and they told me that they hadn't signed any such letter," Chunnu also said.

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Raushan Ershad 'declares herself chairman of Jatiya Party': press release

According to the party's charter, there is no scope for anyone to become chairman of JP as per his or her will, neither can anyone relieve any leader from the party in such a manner, he said.

Earlier today, two press releases on two Whatsap groups, where Jatiya Party news is disseminated, said Raushan had declared herself the Jatiya Party Chairman. 

The Daily Star was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the press releases. 

GM Quader is currently in India on a three-day visit, and is scheduled to return today. 

Police yesterday arrested two more people for their alleged involvement in the gang rape of a woman in Noakhali's Subarnachar upazila. 

They are Hasan Ali Bulu and Jashim Uddin. Their names were not mentioned in the first information report, but police held them based on information gleaned from other arrested accused.

Elias Sharif, superintendent of Noakhali police, said a team from Char Jabbar Police Station arrested Bulu in Chattogram city's West Madarbari area around noon. Another team held Jashim from Nazirhat in the morning. 

With the two, seven people, including Awami League leader Ruhul Amin who allegedly ordered his accomplices to rape the mother of four for voting for “sheaf of paddy”, have been arrested in connection with the rape that sparked protest and condemnation.

Four of them were mentioned in the FIR. Nine people were sued over the incident.    

The name of Ruhul, also a former union parishad member, was not included in the FIR.

Talking to reporters, the SP said Bulu was the personal assistant to Ruhul. During investigation, it was revealed that Bulu had hired people for Tk 10,000 to rape the woman.

The police officer also said Bulu had an altercation with the victim at a polling station in Sunday's national election and he also threatened her following the quarrel.

“Whoever is the offender will not be spared,” the SP said, adding that they would arrest others involved in the incident soon.

“They will submit a charge sheet of the case and ensure trial of the case at the Speedy Trial Tribunal.”  

The woman was gang-raped allegedly by 10 to 12 accomplices of Ruhul, who is the publicity affairs secretary of Subarnachar AL, at her home early Monday.

Meanwhile, expressing deep concern over the rape, Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said, “This incident put our democratic and fundamental rights, and the freedom of expression under threat.”

“The incident made us disgraceful as a nation. Such an incident is difficult to imagine in any democratic country.”

He also demanded the perpetrators be brought to book, said a press release of Gonoforum.

A team of Left Democratic Alliance yesterday visited Noakhali General Hospital where the 35-year-old victim was being treated.

It demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and their punishment through quick trial.

Protesting the rape, Chhatra League (JSD-Ambia), student body of a faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by Sharif Nurul Ambia, formed a human chain in front of Raju Memorial Sculpture on Dhaka University campus yesterday.

In another development, a delegation of 15 senior BNP leaders, led by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will visit Noakhali General Hospital today to enquire about the victim, said a release.