The BNP has claimed that its allegation of “vote robbery” in the December 30 national election has now been proved to be true with the CEC's comment that the use of EVMs can prevent stuffing of ballot boxes the night before an election.

“The chief election commissioner has said the risk of stuffing ballot boxes the night before the voting will be reduced if EVMs are introduced. The truth about the election has started to emerge,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he said Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda could not hide the truth for long. “The CEC's slip of tongue has revealed the truth regarding the midnight election. His remark has demonstrated that the election was held at midnight as EVMs were not used.”

Addressing a training workshop of election officials at the city's Nirbachan Bhaban on Friday, the CEC had said the Election Commission was planning to use electronic voting machines to make sure that ballot boxes could not be stuffed on the night before an election.

Since the national election, the BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront have been accusing the Awami League of carrying out “vote robbery” by stuffing ballot boxes on December 29 midnight.

Stating that snatching people's voting rights was tantamount to robbery, Rizvi said the CEC “committed a serious offence by holding a midnight election only to keep the current government in power illegally”.

“Your [CEC] remarks will remain as an important document to people about how a chief election commissioner allowed stuffing ballot boxes at midnight in a national election, depriving people of their voting rights.”

The BNP leader questioned whether the CEC allowed the ruling party to stuff ballot boxes on the night of December 29 to justify the use of EVMs that were procured by spending crores of public money.

Rizvi warned the CEC that he would have to be accountable to people some day for the midnight voting.

He said the CEC was trying to use EVMs in the election as spending crores of taka was involved in it. “No machine is required for ensuring a fair election, as only sincerity and commitment to democracy is enough for it.”

Not only the CEC, but also an election commissioner carelessly talked about the midnight voting as the truth cannot be hidden, the BNP leader added.

Rizvi voiced deep concern as ailing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was yet to be taken to hospital for treatment.

He demanded the government shift her to United Hospital for ensuring her proper treatment.

With the next parliamentary elections just one and a half years away, fresh debates over using the electronic voting machine in polls have taken the centre stage in the political arena of late.

Amid mistrust of opposition political parties in the system, information technology experts are now coming up with different views on whether the EVM is "tamper-proof".

Some said its manipulation is almost impossible while others think it is very easy for those who have control over the software "to influence the election results".

After attending a views-exchange programme on the EVM with the Election Commission on May 25, Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, noted writer and former professor at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, said, "I am convinced that this machine is nearly perfect and it is easy to operate …"

He added, "I have seen in newspapers that political parties are making various demands, including formation of a new commission. I will tell the political parties that if you get a new commission formed, I will still request it to use this EVM. This will benefit you.

"So far, there is no scope for manipulating the machine. For manipulating a machine, you will need to reach a level that is impossible to reach."

When a reporter asked Prof Zafar Iqbal if there was a scope for anyone to tamper with the machine, he said, "I would request those who are saying this to make a specific complaint…"

This comparison is very offensive. Bangladesh is ahead in many things than many other countries -- for example the biometric NID. So why should we compare?

— Prof Zafar Iqbal

Asked whether the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) should be added to the devices, he said such an addition would create more hassles.

VVPAT is a system which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which an individual has voted.

Asked by The Daily Star about the possibility of software manipulation, Prof Zafar Iqbal on Wednesday said there was nothing to load in the software; rather, everything will be loaded in the read-only memory (ROM).

"When the information will be uploaded in the ROM, people can see it," he said, adding there must be consensus among all political parties before introduction of EVM in the election.

When told that many developed countries abandoned the system, he said, "This comparison is very offensive. Bangladesh is ahead in many things than many other countries -- for example the biometric NID. So why should we compare?"

Mohammad Kaykobad, distinguished professor at Brac University's computer science and engineering department, said it's tough to have 100 percent trust in a machine.

"But the machine has been customised in such a way that its manipulation is almost impossible," he told reporters after the EC programme.

Prof Aloke Kumar Saha of University of Asia Pacific's CSE department echoed this view while talking to this newspaper after the event.  "EVM is a standalone machine without an internet connection. It is not possible to manipulate it," he said.

But Saifur Rahman, senior IT specialist of the Australian Public Service and a certified professional of the Australian Computer Society, has something different to say.

Basically, there are two parts in the EVM. One is hardware, including motherboard and microprocessors, second part is software that includes operating system, device driver, files and computer applications.

"Since the results of the election depend on the software used in the EVM, it is very easy for the person who will control this part to influence the outcome of the election," he wrote in an article run by The Daily Star. 

The EVM used in Bangladesh is not connected to the internet. Therefore, many people think that it is impossible to manipulate the device virtually. This idea is wrong. 

For example, it is possible to control an EVM from a distance by secretly installing mobile SIM-like IC (Integrated Circuit) inside the device, he wrote.

Moreover, it is not difficult to distort the result of the vote by inserting malware (malware-molecular code) into the device through any input port connected to the EVM. "The place where the voter ID card is scanned is one such input port," he explained. 

Contacted again on May 29, Aloke Kumar Saha said, "It is not possible to manipulate the machine but there is a chance of manipulation at the software level by highly expert software engineers."

Asked about the issue, Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan said, "We would allow people to examine the system. Let them come and prove it. If there is anything wrong with the EVM, we can improve it."

The debate over EVM surfaced again after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the ruling Awami League chief, at an AL Central Working Committee meeting on May 7 said the voting machines would be used in all 300 parliamentary constituencies during the next general polls, according to insiders.

Political and election commentators view these statements from the AL top brass as a pressure on the EC, the sole authority to decide on the matter. Such an announcement would worsen the existing mistrust which, political experts said, would be an obstacle to holding a free, fair and inclusive election.

"Whether EVMs will be used or not in the polls is at the absolute discretion of the Election Commission. But the Commission is now under pressure as the Awami League said it wants EVMs in all parliamentary seats," Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hussain, a former election commissioner, told this newspaper on May 10.

Despite having the full mandate for making such decisions, the Commission now has to walk a tightrope, he added.

The BNP has long been opposing the use of EVMs, saying the devices would allow the ruling party to "steal votes".

A number of civil society members and eminent citizens in recent talks organised by the EC also advised against using EVMs unless there is a national consensus.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on subsequent occasions said the EC was yet to make a final decision regarding the use of EVMs in the next general election.

The CEC and election commissioners said the Commission does not have the capacity to use EVMs in all 300 seats right now.

EVM Project Director Colonel Syed Rakibul Hasan said currently they have around 1.5 lakh EVMs. "We will need about 4.5 lakh machines for holding elections using this technology in all 300 seats."

Ahsan Habib Khan said as part of earning trust of all political parties, the EC will also sit with experts nominated by political parties to discuss the EVM issue.

In Bangladesh, EVM was used for the first time, as an experiment, in 2010 at 14 polling centres of a ward during the Chattogram City Corporation polls.

The last Election Commission led by KM Nurul Huda held talks with various stakeholders -- many of them were against using the system in the polls.

According to media reports, countries like Namibia, Nepal, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Venezuela, besides the US, use some forms of electronic voting.

On the other hand, in October 2006, the Netherlands banned the use of EVMs. In 2009, the Republic of Ireland declared a moratorium on their use. Italy has followed suit.

In March 2009, the Supreme Court of Germany ruled that voting through EVM was unconstitutional, observing that transparency is a constitutional right but efficiency is not a constitutionally protected value. Norway has stopped using it since 2003.

Pakistan, the UK and France once used it but these countries have stopped using voting machines as well.

Monirul Haque Sakku, former mayor and independent candidate of Cumilla City Corporation polls, claimed that EVM machines are not working at many places.

"Ambiance is so far good but machines (EVM) are giving trouble. I am getting information that at many places machines are not working. If EVM does not work then what is the point of voting?" Sakku said after casting his vote at Hochcha Mia High School.

Apart from EVM, the inclement weather is also another barrier for voter turnout.

"If people come to vote and the environment remains good, I am confident about winning the polls," he said.

The Election Commission has decided to use EVMs in up to 150 parliamentary seats in the next general election though major opposition political parties still have no confidence in the voting machine.

The commission, however, has yet to choose the constituencies where EVMs will be used, and it will be finalised when the election schedule is fixed.

Top EC officials said they would use EVMs mostly in the urban seats with smooth transportation and also where the devices were earlier used for different elections.

The opposition parties have slammed the decision saying it only proved that the Election Commission was subservient to the ruling party and only implementing the government's will.   

The BNP and its allies have long been opposing polling with electronic voting machines, saying the devices would allow the ruling party to "steal votes".

The Jatiya Party, the main opposition in parliament, and the Gono Forum also have taken stance against EVM during recent talks with the EC.

Yesterday, after an Election Commission meeting, EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath told reporters that they have decided to use EVMs in "not more than 150 constituencies" in the next general election.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and all election commissioners were present in the meeting.

"At this moment, we have the capacity to use EVMs in 70-75 seats," Ashok said, adding the commission has a total of 1.5 lakh EVMs and they would buy more, if necessary.

"The EC has demonstrated EVM before us and we are convinced that there is no scope for election fraudulence using this machine. A voter will be able to cast vote for the candidate of his or her choice."

— Kazi Zafarullah, presidium member of Awami League

Asked about the opposition from various political parties, he said, "The commission has taken the decision after taking the recommendations of political parties into consideration."

EC officials said chances are slim of adding voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) with the EVMs -- another recommendation that some political parties placed during the talks with the EC.

The commission is taking advice from experts about VVPAT, a system which allows voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly, and most of them so far opined that if the VVPAT is incorporated, the machines will freeze and might have some other technical issues.

"So, there is hardly any chance of adding VVPAT system to the machine," said an official.

Another EC official said, "We now need to know whether we will get an adequate number of EVMs from manufacturers. We will also be keeping in mind the issue of trained manpower and others."

With the Jatiya Sangsad polls, likely in late December 2023 or early January 2024, the EVM issue came to the fore especially after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at an AL meeting on May 7 said voting machines would be used in all 300 constituencies in the election.

File photo

"The decision to use EVMs in the polls is actually the government's decision, not the Election Commission's. The EC is just a weapon to fulfil the will of the government."

— Nazrul Islam Khan, standing committee member of BNP

Recently, 19 out of 39 registered political parties have directly opposed the use of EVMs, either joining or skipping the talks with the EC held on July 17-31. Among them are the AL's archrival BNP and the main opposition in parliament, the Jatiya Party.

Only three -- the ruling Awami League, Samyabadi Dal and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh -- during the talks categorically said they want the machines in the national election.

The EC also held a series of views-exchange meetings on EVM in June with 28 political parties. Only four of them, including the AL, said they were in favour of EVMs in national elections.

Introduced in 2010, EVMs were used in various local government elections. The then Election Commission led by ATM Shamsul Huda had used them in the city corporation polls but not in any parliamentary election.

In 2012, the EC headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad also kept the EVMs out of the national polls.

The Nurul Huda-led commission overhauled the EVM system and used it for polling in six constituencies in the 2018 December election.

Twelve political parties, including the BNP, opposed the EVM while attending talks with the EC in 2017, and 11 parties including the AL supported it.

"The decision to use EVMs in the polls is actually the government's decision, not the Election Commission's. The EC is just a weapon to fulfil the will of the government," said Nazrul Islam Khan, standing committee member of the BNP, in his reaction to the latest development.

"They appointed people of their choice so that their purpose can be served. We don't even want to make comments on the EC's activities", he added.

Mujibul Haque Chunnu. File photo

"We don't support the EC's decision to use EVMs in the general election. The EC did not honour the parties that opposed EVMs during the talks. We condemn the decision."

— Mujibul Haque Chunnu, secretary general of Jatiya Party (Ershad)

Expressing similar views, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, secretary general of Jatiya Party (Ershad), said, "We don't support the EC's decision to use EVMs in the general election. The EC did not honour the parties that opposed EVMs during the talks. We condemn the decision."

He added, "We do not have any confidence in EVM. People believe that voting fraudulence takes place when EVM is used."

Gono Forum Executive President Mukabbir Khan said the decision was opposite to people's aspirations. "The EC took such a decision due to their subservient attitude towards the ruling party."

Awami League Presidium Member Kazi Zafarullah refuted the allegations of the opposition parties and said, "I totally disagree with them and this allegation is unfair. This EC has been appointed by the president in line with law."

He added, "The EC has demonstrated EVM before us and we are convinced that there is no scope for election fraudulence there. A voter will be able to cast vote for the candidate of his or her choice.

"It is the EC that will conduct the election, not the Awami League. As a party, it is the Awami League's responsibility to assist the commission to hold a free and fair election."

Voting in Rangpur City Corporation elections began this morning using electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The voting started at 229 polling centres at 8:30am, which is scheduled to continue till 4:30pm.

Voters standing in queue at Alamnagar Collegepara Government Primary School on December 27, 2022. Photo: Kongkon Karmaker

This is the third election since the city corporation was formed in 2012.

Due to cold weather and fog, the voter turnout at the Mahiganj upazila's polling centres were low in the beginning.

Photo: Star

As the day progressed, the presence of voters outside the Mahiganj Government Primary School and Mahiganj College centres of ward-29 started to increase.

Mofazzal Hossain, 70, a voter at Mahiganj College, told The Daily Star that there was no problem in casting his vote using the EVM machine.

Salma Begum, 44, a voter at Mahiganj Government Primary School, said she cast her vote early in the day. "It was a bit challenging for me to come to the polling station because of cold and fog," she added.

She also said she didn't face any problem while casting her vote using EVM machine.

The Awami League nominee for mayor is Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia while the JP nominee is Mostafizar Rahman, who was also elected mayor in 2017.

The total number of voters in Rangpur City Corporation is 4,26,470.

Rangpur is known as a JP stronghold and the Rangpur JP General Secretary SM Yasir is one of the key campaigners for Mostafizar.

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Rangpur City Helm: AL, JP battling it out today

The Election Commission on Sunday said there were concerns over violence at 86 of the 229 polling centres. Additional law enforcers have been deployed at those centres, said Election Commissioner Begum Rashida Sultana earlier.

Members of police, Bangladesh Border Guard, Rab and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) have been deployed to maintain law and order.

Besides, 33 executive magistrates and 16 judicial magistrates have been deployed to take legal action against rule violators.

Apart from AL and JP nominees, seven others are running for mayor. AL leader Latifur Rahman is running as an independent candidate.

The BNP boycotted the election.