The election was marred by serious irregularities

International observers have said that the recent elections held in Bangladesh were not free and fair. This is because the election has been marred by serious irregularities. National elections have been widely reported to have been neither free nor without irregularities. The United States has said these things in the annual human rights report on human rights and other issues in Bangladesh 2023. The report was released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs around 11:30 PM local time in Bangladesh. This report has been published on almost all countries of the world. It has 79 pages highlighting the Bangladesh part. It is said that the chairperson of the main opposition party BNP and former prime minister Khaleda Zia has been transferred from jail and kept under house arrest. He is not allowed to go abroad for medical treatment even if it is essential. It also said that dissident political leaders and activists are being detained and arrested at will.

Law enforcement agencies continue to carry out enforced disappearances, murders. But in 2023 its number was less. The issue of freedom of media and journalists has been highlighted. It said that the Digital Security Act has been applied to them. They were forced to censor the report themselves. Especially in the context of Bangladesh elections, observers said that the elections held in Bangladesh in 2018 were not free and fair. It is disturbed by irregularities. These include stuffing ballot boxes, intimidation of opposition agents and voters at polling stations. During the election campaign, there were many credible reports of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and violence against opposition candidates and their supporters. By-elections to vacant parliamentary seats and local government elections throughout the year have been marked by intimidation, irregularities and violence. The report also said that Awami League activists attacked social media star and independent candidate Ashraful Hero Alam on July 17 during a parliamentary by-election campaign. Local police officials refused to accept his case against the attackers. On election day he was again attacked at a polling station. He was admitted to the hospital after moving from there. But the police did not protect him from attacks by supporters of the ruling party. Authorities arrested 10 suspects in this incident.

The United States has used law enforcement resources to bring civil and criminal charges against opposition leaders and activists, the report said. Criminal charges have been filed against thousands of BNP activists in connection with political protests throughout the year. Media supports such claims of BNP and other parties. It is said that many of the accused have been arrested. Human rights observers say most of these allegations are unfounded. Opposition leaders face criminal charges. Leaders and members of Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist political party in Bangladesh, say they are unable to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of expression and assembly due to harassment by law enforcement authorities. In very few cases the police allowed them to rally. But in all others it is rejected.

The report also said that Awami League-affiliated parties, especially its student affairs wing Bangladesh Chhatra League, have resorted to violence and intimidation across the country. They use this violence and intimidation against any independent person, opposition party or anyone else – if they appear to be critical of the government. In this case they get immunity. On April 10, after the Prime Minister denounced Prothom Alo in Parliament, Awami League youth leaders and activists came out and vandalized the newspaper’s office. From there, their action is broadcast live on social media.

A series of clashes broke out between the Awami League and the BNP in July when BNP activists tried to stage a sit-in strike on major roads and entrances to Dhaka. They were removed from this program by the police and those involved with Awami League. As usual, police were withdrawn from BNP protest sites and Awami League activists were allowed to attack them. Several people were injured in the July clashes. There were many BNP leaders among them. A political rally turned violent in late October as clashes broke out between police and BNP activists. This led to the arrest of at least 13,700 people. At least 14 people have been killed as of November.

In June, media reports said the police headquarters directed units to expeditiously dispose of pending criminal cases across the country. Its purpose is to prevent the possible candidates of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami by law ahead of the national elections. Big leaders face dozens or hundreds of cases. A meeting at police headquarters on July 6 was leaked. It directed police across the country to activate criminal cases against BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters since 2013. It is said that BNP and Jamaat leaders will be declared ineligible for the election. All BNP leaders and Jamaat leaders, who were hoping to contest the elections, are accused in one or the other case. To finish these cases quickly, the police have been directed to cooperate with the judiciary by cooperating with the testimony of eyewitnesses.

In August, Human Rights Watch reported that authorities charged at least 1,500 opposition leaders and 15,000 unnamed individuals ahead of a BNP rally in late July. Authorities detained 200 activists in 15 minutes before a major BNP political rally in Dhaka, less than 90 days before the October elections. In many cases, the government has interfered in organizing public functions of opposition parties and obstructed the broadcasting of events of opposition political parties.

The report also said that the freedom movement in Bangladesh was blocked. There is the inability of citizens to peacefully change their government through free and fair elections. Serious and unreasonable barriers to political participation. There is serious corruption in Bangladesh government. The government has severe restrictions or harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations. Extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, cruel torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and punishment by the government. There is a threat to life. Serious problems with the independence of the judiciary, political prisoners and detention. Opposition leaders and activists have been arrested on charges of political involvement. Opposition leaders and activists have been arrested and prosecuted with false charges on the pretext of threatening national security. It has been said that the former prime minister and the chairperson of the main opposition party BNP were kept under house arrest. He was not allowed to go abroad for necessary treatment. On the other hand, he had to be treated in a hospital in Bangladesh. It is said that in 2018, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the 2008 corruption and embezzlement case. In 2019, he was transferred from the jail to the hospital. He was transferred from there in 2020 and placed under house arrest. Regarding political prisoners and detainees, international and domestic legal experts have said that the allegations leveled against opposition leader Khaleda Zia are lacking in evidence. This suggests that the political tableau has been arranged to remove him from the electoral process. On the other hand, prosecutors have withdrawn several corruption cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The report also looks at media freedom. It has been said that the constitution of Bangladesh has given freedom of expression to everyone, including members of the press and media. But the government has frequently interfered with this right. There are significant restrictions on freedom of expression. Criticism of the government is censored by members of the media and bloggers themselves for fear of government harassment or retaliation. It has highlighted the picture of corruption and irregularities at the government level, harassment in the field of justice, arbitrary arrests and various kinds of oppression.