Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called for ensuring that election rigging never occurs again in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Monday afternoon at the state guesthouse Jamuna after receiving the report from the National Election (2014, 2018, 2024) Investigation Commission. Yunus said the entire electoral process had been distorted and that the truth must be presented to the nation. He emphasized the need to identify those involved and ensure accountability so that citizens can regain confidence in the system.

According to the commission’s report, the elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024 were systematically manipulated under decisions made at the highest levels of the state to keep the Awami League in power. The report stated that in 2014, 153 seats were uncontested, while the remaining contests were prearranged. In 2018, ballot papers were allegedly stamped overnight in 80 percent of polling centers, and in 2024, dummy candidates were used to simulate competition. The commission found that administrative, police, and intelligence agencies were used to execute these plans.

The report further noted that between 2014 and 2024, election administration shifted from the Election Commission to the bureaucracy, making the latter the main controlling force.