The European Union has criticised the parliamentary elections held on January 7, asserting that they failed to meet international democratic standards. According to a 33-page report published on the European Commission's website, the Election Commission's handling of the election was deemed insufficient in ensuring its credibility.

The report highlights that the main opposition party of Bangladesh, BNP, boycotted the elections, depriving voters of the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights fully. Furthermore, it points out that due to the competition between the ruling party, Awami League's candidate, and independent candidates of the party, voters could not freely choose their preferred candidate. Additionally, ballot box stuffing and frauds were reported at various polling stations on election day.

Despite these criticisms, the Election Commission appears to dismiss the concerns raised by the European Union, maintaining that it made every effort to conduct a fair and acceptable election.

Election Commissioner Md. Anisur Rahman boldly declared to BBC Bangla on Saturday, "The Election Commission remains unfazed by the words or deeds of others. The European Union said what they wanted to say. Let them stand by their promises; we have no qualms. We've clarified our position, and we're striving relentlessly." 

Last July, the European Union dispatched a pre-election mission to gauge the prevailing atmosphere surrounding the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh. Their sojourn lasted 20 days, during which they convened countless sessions with an array of stakeholders, spanning political factions to the esteemed Election Commission, journalists to pillars of civil society.

A few days after that meeting, they wrote a letter to the Election Commission saying that the European Union would not observe Bangladesh's 12th National Parliament election. However, they sent a technical team to Bangladesh to evaluate the election as a whole.

The technical team came to Bangladesh before the January 7 elections. After staying for two months, the full report was published on the European Commission's website on Friday night.

The ruling Awami League government rejected this European Union report. It considers the matter as a conspiracy of the opposition alliance BNP. Attending an event in Dhaka on Saturday morning, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, 'BNP is misleading international organisations with false information.'

The European Union report focused on five aspects of the election. Along with that, 21-point recommendations have been highlighted.

At the beginning of the report, it is stated that the 2024 Bangladesh National Parliament election failed to meet several crucial international standards. Civil and political rights, including freedom of assembly, association, and speech, which are essential for competitive elections, were severely restricted in the January 7 elections in Bangladesh.

In its report, the organisation mentioned that the activities of opposition political parties were severely limited through judicial proceedings and mass arrests.

The seat-sharing agreement of political parties and contests between Awami League candidates and party-affiliated 'independent candidates' did not acknowledge voters' independence. The detailed report also mentions that the media and civil society did not help to ensure freedom of speech during, before, and after the elections.

According to the report, the Bangladesh Awami League, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, aimed to secure power for the fourth consecutive term through this election in Bangladesh. Consequently, this election was conducted in a highly polarised political environment.

The report highlighted the violence surrounding the BNP programme on October 28, 2023, and the subsequent arrest of BNP activists. It stated that the opposition had been agitating for the resignation of the government and the appointment of a caretaker government to conduct the elections. Still, the ruling party had rejected these demands.

Furthermore, the report mentioned that the civil and political environment of the country significantly deteriorated after the mass arrests on October 28.

The organisation believes that framing criminal charges has been widely utilised as part of a strategy to arrest senior BNP leaders and prevent any contestation in the electoral process.

The report also noted that opposition parties' freedom of assembly, association, movement, and speech was severely restricted throughout the election period. The BNP couldn't engage in any political activities without facing the risk of arrest.

According to the report, this election lacked genuine competition, as the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its alliance boycotted it. The report highlighted that while civil and political rights were absent, opportunities for free movement were also limited.

The report also addresses the issue of voting between the Awami League and independent candidates associated with their party. It states that due to the seat-sharing agreement among political parties and the competition between the Awami League's own candidates and the 'independent candidates' affiliated with the party, voters did not have the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice.

The report provides some statistics on the competition. It indicates that 1,970 candidates contested 299 seats in this election. However, 74 per cent of the candidates lost their security deposits due to not receiving the minimum number of votes, and only 11 per cent of seats saw actual competition.

The report also raised concerns about election monitoring. The EU noted that no independent international election observers were present to observe the election. However, the Commonwealth, US IRI, and NDI jointly dispatched a small expert team for monitoring.

The report criticised the Election Commission's decision to invite only a few foreign observers at significant expense, which deviates from international norms of election observation.

The Awami League was the sole political party able to organise significant public activities, including large campaign rallies. However, Awami League candidates reportedly expressed concerns about voter intimidation during the election campaign.

The international organisation highlighted various irregularities, instances of violence, and lawlessness on election day in its report. The European Union stated that the government employed multiple tactics to encourage voter turnout, including threats made by government party leaders to withhold services if voters did not show up at polling centres.

Furthermore, the report mentioned issues with the transportation system, which brings voters to the polling centres, and the long queues observed at these centres. The presence of Awami League activists outside polling stations contributed to a tense atmosphere for voters.

Additionally, the report noted a decrease in the number of minority representatives in this Parliament compared to the previous one. While there were 18 minority representatives in the last Parliament, this number has decreased to 14 in the current one.

The EU reported that candidates lodged complaints with the electoral Commission regarding irregularities in the vote, including ballot box stuffing and attempted fraud on election day. Some of these complaints were promptly addressed, leading to the closure of polling in 25 centres. However, the report noted that other incidents were not adequately investigated.

Isolated incidents of violence on election day were also documented in the report. Local candidates additionally raised concerns about election irregularities, such as ballot box stuffing and fraud attempts, with the Election Commission.

Official results indicated that Awami League candidates secured 223 seats, independent candidates won 62 seats, and the Jatiya Party obtained 11 seats. Two other parties secured one seat each through a seat-sharing deal, while the Kalyan Party won the final seat.

The EU technical team criticised the Election Commission stating that despite having the legal authority, it failed to ensure the election's credibility.

Regarding voter turnout, the EU emphasised on disparities across the country despite the Election Commission's published turnout rate of 41.8 per cent. Stakeholders cited in the report expressed concerns about the Commission's lack of complete independence during the voting and counting process.

While the EU acknowledged satisfaction with the voter list preparation and registration process, it highlighted the disenfranchisement of individuals who turned 18 in 2023. Furthermore, the Commission was criticised for unduly restricting candidates' right to stand for election.

The EU Technical Mission made 21 recommendations for fair and transparent elections, including calls for a comprehensive review of parliamentary laws and regulations and transparent and merit-based appointments for the Election Commissioner Board.

Recommendations also included reviewing the Cyber Security Act of 2023 to align with international freedom of speech standards and ensure a conducive working environment for civil society. A total ban on political party activities around polling stations was proposed to enhance transparency in voting and counting processes.

Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman, speaking to BBC Bangla regarding the report, stated, "I have not seen the full report yet. We completed the election fairly. It was not our concern who participated or not in the election. If the Commission thinks, they can give official feedback on this."

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan responded by saying, "BNP is systematically spreading false information. We don't care what they say. We can clearly say that what they say did not happen in the country."