Jamaat-led 11-party alliance seeks fresh vote count in 30 constituencies

The Jamaat-e-Islami–led 11-party alliance has demanded a fresh vote count in 30 constituencies from the election, alleging widespread irregularities and biased conduct during polling and result tabulation.

Alliance leaders raised the allegations at a press conference on Saturday at Jamaat’s central office in Dhaka’s Mogbazar.

The party’s Publicity Secretary Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said the election had been marred in many places by fraud, manipulation, obstruction to voting, and the expulsion of polling agents.

“In 30 seats, we informed the returning officers on election day itself about vote rigging, manipulation, overwriting and erasures on result sheets,” Zubair said.

“In some constituencies, results were announced after unusual delays, while in others they were declared with lightning speed. Such conduct clearly reflects partisan behaviour.”

He said that in seats where electoral mismanagement, irregularities and violations of the code of conduct were evident, complaints had already been lodged locally with returning officers and senior officials.

“We have formally called for recounts in those constituencies,” Zubair said.

“We will inform the Election Commission, and we will take all possible legal steps.”

Zubair also alleged that post-election violence had left people injured in several places.

“Complaints have been filed with the local administration. We hope they will take swift action,” he said.

According to Zubair, the constituencies where recounts have been sought are: Dhaka-7, Dhaka-8, Dhaka-10, Dhaka-13, Dhaka-17, Panchagarh-1, Thakurgaon-2, Dinajpur-3, Dinajpur-5, Lalmonirhat-1, Lalmonirhat-2, Gaibandha-4, Bogura-3, Sirajganj-1, Jashore-3, Khulna-3, Khulna-5, Barguna-2, Jhalakathi-1, Pirojpur-2, Mymensingh-1, Mymensingh-4, Mymensingh-10, Kishoreganj-3, Gopalganj-2, Brahmanbaria-5, Chandpur-4, Chattogram-14, and Cox’s Bazar-4.