Candidates of the BNP-led 20-party Alliance and the Jatiya Oika Front led by Dr Kamal Hossain, who contested the Dec 30 polls, will move the High Court over alleged widespread rigging and irregularities in the 11th national election.
According to insiders, candidates or their election agents in all constituencies will file a petition with the court’s election tribunal— a designated bench to address polls issues after submitting written complaints with returning officers.
The Awami League is about to form a government for an unprecedented third straight term after winning the election on Sunday (Dec 30). It won 259 of 299 seats while the Grand Alliance it leads won 288 seats.
The BNP, which had boycotted the last general election in 2014 saying it would not be fair, won just five seats while its ally Gano Forum, led by Dr Kamal, won two seats.
“I will move the court as well as file a complaint with the returning officer and I would advise all the candidates to do the same,” Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, who contested from a Bogura seat with BNP’s paddy sheaf logo, told Bangla Tribune.
A member of the Oikya Front’s policymaking Steering Committee said that the next course of action was all candidates separately moving the court.
“We are now trying to include the others political parties, outside the (Awami League-led) Grand Alliance, to include in the process,” he told Bangla Tribune preferring anonymity.
According to people familiar with the matter, Oikya Front steering panel member Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, has been tasked to reach out to the Leftist parties’ coalition during Monday’s (Dec 31) meeting at the Motijheel offices of alliance chief Dr Kamal.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President ASM Abdur Rab has been tasked to discuss the issue with the Islami Andolan, which fielded candidates at all seats, but did not win any.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune, Islami Andolan spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman appeared to be pessimistic over moving the court.
“It’s not a matter of one or two constituencies. Actually, there was no election in the country. What’s the point of moving the tribunal?” he said.
According to the 2008 election regulations, aggrieved parties can move the High Court within 45 days of publication of the official gazette notification on polls result, which was out on Wednesday (Jan 2).
The Representation of the People’s Order (RPO) keeps the provision of challenging the High Court’s decision in the Appellate Division.
Meanwhile, the BNP has instructed candidates, who contested with its polls logo, to join an emergency meeting on Thursday (Jan 3) at the party chief’s Gulshan offices in Dhaka.
A total of 298 candidates, including those from BNP’s allies in the 20-party Alliance and Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Front, contested the Dec 30 election with ‘paddy sheaf’ logo
According to people familiar with the matter, candidates have been told to bring a report on the overall situation of voting in their constituencies, including details like casualties, names of arrested local leaders and activists as well as proof of election rigging.
After a key meeting of the Oikya Front top brass on Tuesday (Jan 1), its leader Dr Kamal Hossain said that they will submit a memorandum calling for fresh elections to the Election Commission, which insiders say will be handed over on Thursday.
