Jamaat-led 11-party alliance to hold protest rally in Dhaka on Monday

11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a protest rally in Dhaka on Monday, alleging irregularities and vote rigging in 13th National Parliamentary Election, as well as incidents of post-election violence.

The announcement came on Sunday following a meeting between alliance leaders and Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at Election Commission office. 

The meeting began around 12:00 PM and was led by Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad and Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Hamidur alleged that leaders and activists of Jamaat-led alliance had faced attacks at their homes following the election. 

He said the issue was formally raised with the Election Commission.

In protest against the alleged attacks and electoral irregularities, the alliance will bring out a demonstration procession from Baitul Mukarram in the capital on Monday.

Hamidur also claimed that voter turnout was low due to fear and intimidation. 

He alleged that in several polling centres, agents of the 11-party alliance were forcibly removed during vote counting.

“On behalf of those of us who contested the election together, we repeatedly informed the Commission and also raised the issue at the local level. But we have not received any satisfactory action,” he said.

He further alleged that irregularities during vote counting would inevitably affect the final results. 

According to him, several result sheets showed signs of tampering, including erasures, overwriting and alterations, and in many cases the signatures of original polling agents were not obtained.

Citing an example, he claimed that in the Dhaka-6 constituency, a result sheet had been filled out in pencil.

SH