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Former Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner Confesses to Election Manipulation in Sedition Case
Jul 02, 2025In a dramatic turn of events, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has confessed in court to manipulating national elections, admitting to what he called a “mockery of democracy.” His statement comes in connection with a sedition case filed over alleged irregularities in Bangladesh’s 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections.
The confession was recorded on Tuesday by Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jiahdur Rahman after Huda was produced in court following an eight-day remand in two phases. According to the investigating officer, Huda voluntarily chose to give a confessional statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The case was filed on June 22 by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. It names 24 individuals, including former CECs, Election Commissioners, and senior election officials, accusing them of engineering election outcomes in favor of the ruling party. The charges include sedition, abuse of power, fraud, and criminal conspiracy.
According to the case documents, the 10th, 11th, and 12th general elections—held in 2014, 2018, and 2024 respectively—were conducted in a partisan manner despite public demands for a neutral caretaker government and the deployment of military personnel with magistracy powers to ensure fair polling.
On the evening of June 22, just hours after the case was filed, KM Nurul Huda was reportedly assaulted by a mob at his residence in Uttara, Dhaka. The group allegedly placed garlands of shoes around his neck—a symbolic gesture of humiliation—before handing him over to the police. He was then placed on a four-day remand, which was extended for another four days on June 27.
During interrogation, Huda was questioned about allegations of “night-time voting,” ballot-stuffing, and issuing instructions favoring ruling party candidates during his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner from 2017 to 2022.
Legal experts say Huda’s court confession could significantly impact the case, which may set a precedent in Bangladesh’s judicial history. Sedition charges, however, typically require government sanction before prosecution can proceed—raising questions about how the case will advance.
On June 29, police also detained another former CEC, Kazi Habibul Awal, in connection with the same case. Further arrests and legal action are anticipated as investigations continue.
The case has ignited a national debate over the credibility of past elections and the integrity of the Election Commission. Critics say it underscores long-standing concerns about democratic backsliding and electoral malpractice in Bangladesh. KM Nurul Huda is currently in jail awaiting trial.
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