Fears Raised Over Election Integrity

Serious concerns over the integrity of the forthcoming national parliamentary election have been voiced by Rabiul Islam Nayan, Member Secretary of the Dhaka South Jubo Dal, who has warned of alleged plans for widespread ballot fraud and orchestrated disorder. In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday, he claimed that a particular political group was preparing to undermine the electoral process through the use of forged ballots, intimidation of voters and the deliberate creation of chaos at polling centres—developments which, if true, would pose a grave threat to transparency and public confidence in the election.

According to Mr Nayan, he had for some time sensed what he described as “the stench of conspiracy” surrounding the electoral environment. Seeking clarity, he said he conducted inquiries and received information from what he characterised as highly reliable sources. These sources, he alleged, indicated that activists affiliated with Jamaat were preparing to stuff ballot boxes using counterfeit ballot papers. He claimed that these forged ballots had been produced to closely resemble official ones, using similar paper quality, printing techniques and design, allegedly modelled on ballots printed in presses around the Nilkhet area. The intention, he argued, was to make the fake ballots virtually indistinguishable from genuine ones.

Mr Nayan further alleged that sensitive internal information from the Election Commission—such as ballot formats, serial numbers, candidate names and electoral symbols—had been illicitly obtained and used to replicate authentic ballots in private presses. He claimed that these counterfeit ballots were already being distributed to various regions of the country. To reinforce his argument, he referred to past allegations during the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections, when similar claims had surfaced regarding the printing of identical ballots in Nilkhet.

Among the most alarming accusations was the claim that large-scale covert voting had been meticulously planned. Mr Nayan alleged that both male and female activists would enter polling centres shortly after the early morning prayer, carrying pre-stamped ballots. According to his account, women would conceal ballots beneath their burqas, while men would hide them in their trouser pockets, queue up as ordinary voters and discreetly deposit multiple ballots into boxes. He warned that if a single individual managed to repeat this process several times, a substantial number of fraudulent votes could be cast within a short period.

He also alleged that deliberate unrest would be instigated later in the day, particularly after midday, to create a mob atmosphere around polling stations and deter genuine voters through fear and confusion. In addition, he referred to previous allegations involving the removal of postal ballots intended for expatriate voters and the collection of voters’ national identity numbers, phone details and mobile financial service information through various women’s organisations—actions he described as components of a broader, coordinated scheme.

Concluding his statement, Mr Nayan urged citizens, political parties and relevant institutions to remain vigilant. He stressed that safeguarding democracy required collective responsibility and warned that failure to act in time could leave the entire election process under a cloud of suspicion.

Summary of Alleged Plans

If substantiated, these allegations would represent a profound challenge to the credibility of the election and the democratic process itself.