On the eve of Bangladesh's January 7, 2024, general election, an astonishing scene unfolded live on national television.

The then-Chief Election Commissioner, Kazi Habibul Awal, announced a voter turnout of just 27%. Yet, in a truly surreal moment, an unheard whisper from off-camera led him to instantly inflate that figure to 40%.

The absurdity was palpable; even ardent supporters of the ruling Awami League struggled to believe it, as election day coverage showed eerily empty polling stations, manned only by bored police officers and idly lounging dogs.

But such was the authoritarian stranglehold of Sheikh Hasina’s regime that the manufactured results were accepted, ushering her into a fourth consecutive term.

Now, almost a year after her ousting through a massive popular uprising, a Pandora's Box of previously suppressed truths has burst open.

Last week, in an unprecedented and frankly stunning admission, former Chief Election Commissioner Awal declared before a Dhaka court that the 2024 general election was nothing more than a “dummy” and “farcical” exercise.

His reasoning: an insurmountable political deadlock and an election marred by one-sided participation.

"Honourable Court, many are saying many things today. But I want to state clearly—throughout my long career, I was never involved in any form of corruption, nor did I ever misappropriate public funds," Awal told the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.

"However, I must also say this: the election held on January 7, 2024, was a dummy election—a farcical election." “There was no consensus among the political parties, and as a result, the January 7 election became one-sided, a farce,” he said.

This bombshell confession, delivered under intense judicial scrutiny and immense public pressure, has sent shockwaves through Bangladesh's political establishment, prompting a sweeping government investigation into the past three national elections.

This marks a pivotal moment in Bangladesh’s history—the first time a former chief election commissioner has openly condemned a national poll he himself oversaw.

During the tense court hearing, attended by a packed audience of lawyers, law enforcement, and media, Magistrate Mostafizur Rahman pressed Awal on unusually high allowances reportedly paid to election inquiry committee members during his tenure.

While Awal cited inflation as justification, he conspicuously sidestepped accusations that these payments—reportedly as high as Tk 500,000 per person—severely eroded public trust.

Awal’s confession is more than just an admission of guilt; it's a profound indictment of a system that prioritized the perpetuation of power over the will of the people–which was practiced to perfection during Hasina’s dictatorship.

Resigned acceptance of fate

That testimony has also peeled back layers of Bangladesh's contentious electoral history, exposing raw emotions and deep-seated frustrations.

When pressed on why he didn't resign despite his belief that the recent election was illegitimate, Awal drew a direct line to Bangladesh's turbulent past, specifically the post-independence polls of 1973.

"Ballot papers were snatched even then," he recounted, highlighting a systemic issue that has plagued the country for decades.

The magistrate's sharp retort, "You were one of the finest officers of your generation. The country expected better," underscored the weight of responsibility placed upon those meant to safeguard democratic processes.

Visibly emotional, Awal acknowledged the commission's shortcomings, stating unequivocally, "A participatory, fair election is impossible without political compromise. Elections under partisan governments don’t work."

But tensions escalated when a group of courtroom lawyers heckled Awal, branding him a “white-collar criminal.” In an outburst, he shouted: “Just shoot me dead with a revolver.” He later defended the responsibilities of returning and presiding officers, saying the Election Commission alone could not shoulder the entire blame for electoral misconduct.

He subsequently defended the roles of returning and presiding officers, arguing that the Election Commission alone could not bear the full brunt of blame for electoral misconduct.

Hours after Awal’s dramatic testimony, the government announced the formation of a high-powered investigative committee. This committee is tasked with probing alleged irregularities in the 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections, all of which resulted in landslide victories for the now-deposed Awami League government.

A gazette notification confirmed the committee will investigate corruption, electoral fraud, and breaches of constitutional duty, with the aim of recommending measures to ensure genuinely free and fair future elections.

It has been given a deadline of September 30 to submit its findings.

What experts say?

Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, a leading election expert, hailed this development as a "watershed moment."

He told Bangla Outlook that if the allegations are substantiated, "this investigation will serve as a precedent—a reminder that no one involved in electoral misconduct is above the law."

The gazette itself underscores the gravity of the situation, asserting that all three disputed elections held during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure as prime minister "undermined the people’s right to vote" and "posed a serious threat to rule of law, democracy, and fundamental human rights."

Awal's courtroom drama and subsequent arrest are not isolated incidents but rather part of a burgeoning legal reckoning.

He was apprehended on Wednesday in Dhaka's Moghbazar area and remanded for three days in a sedition case. This case,filed by BNP executive committee member Salah Uddin Khan, implicates 24 individuals, notably including two other former Chief Election Commissioners: Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, who oversaw the 2014 elections, and KM Nurul Huda,responsible for the 2018 polls.

Nurul Huda himself was arrested last Sunday and remains in police custody under a four-day remand, with formal sedition charges now added to his case.

The list of the accused extends to high-profile political figures, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and three former Inspectors General of Police: Hassan Mahmood Khandker, Javed Patwary, and AKM Shahidul Hoque.

With a formal investigation now underway and three former chief election commissioners under direct scrutiny, political observers are increasingly vocal about Bangladesh potentially entering an unprecedented era of electoral accountability.

As Majumdar aptly concluded, "The former CEC’s courtroom confession is not just an admission of guilt. It’s a call to action. If we ignore this moment, we forfeit the future of our democracy."

–