On the eve of the national polls, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has lodged a formal protest against its electoral ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, alleging widespread “booth capturing,” financial bribery, and strategic interference. In an emergency press briefing held on Wednesday night, 11 February, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan revealed that the party had received 127 specific complaints regarding Jamaat’s conduct across the country.
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Allegations of “Black Money” and Bribery
A central pillar of the BNP’s grievance involves the recovery of massive sums of cash from individuals associated with Jamaat-e-Islami. Mr Khan highlighted the detention of a senior Jamaat leader at Saidpur Airport with 7.4 million BDT in his possession.
“While his family claims this was business capital, the individual is an employee who paid a mere 3,000 BDT in income tax,” Mr Khan noted, questioning how such a discrepancy could be justified. He further cited an incident in Shariatpur, where a Jamaat leader was apprehended with 750,000 BDT and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison by a mobile court.
Notable Reported Incidents of Electoral Irregularities
| Location | Party / Individuals Involved | Nature of Allegation | Action Taken |
| Saidpur Airport | Jamaat-e-Islami Leader | Carrying 7.4m BDT in cash | Under Investigation |
| Shariatpur | Jamaat Official | Possession of 750,000 BDT | 2-Year Prison Sentence |
| Sutrapur, Dhaka | Local Jamaat Leader | Attempted vote buying | 2-Day Detention |
| Narayanganj | Jamaat Leader & Spouse | Casting proxy votes (Referendum) | Arrest of Presiding Officer |
| Feni (Chhagalnaiya) | 13 Individuals | Forced entry into polling centre | Monetary Fines Imposed |
Defence Against “Propaganda” and Misinformation
The briefing also served as a platform for Mr Khan to clarify reports surrounding BNP leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie. Addressing rumours that 80 million BDT had been seized from Mr Annie’s vehicle, Mr Khan dismissed these as “gross exaggerations” by digital influencers and rival factions. He explained that a sum of 1.5 million BDT was being transported to cover the legitimate logistical costs of polling agents across 115 centres—a standard and legal expenditure.
Friction with the Election Commission
Mr Khan expressed profound frustration over conflicting statements from the Election Commission (EC). He referred to a reported comment by the EC Secretary suggesting that carrying large sums of money was not inherently illegal, a statement the Secretary later claimed was “misquoted.”
“It is deeply regrettable that a senior official or the press should find themselves in such a state of confusion during such a sensitive hour,” Mr Khan remarked. He concluded by urging the public to remain vigilant, particularly after an incident in Narayanganj where a Presiding Officer was reportedly caught marking “Yes” ballots in favour of her husband, a local Jamaat leader.
The BNP leadership emphasised that they would not tolerate any attempts to undermine the “July Charter” through fraudulent means, regardless of which party was responsible.