Two intelligence agency reports have uncovered large-scale corruption in Bangladesh’s electronic voting machine (EVM) project, which cost Tk 3,825 crore. The reports allege that former security adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique and his associated firm Tiger IT played a central role in irregularities throughout the project’s approval, pricing, and procurement stages. Despite these findings, no effective investigation or action has yet been taken. The reports recommend swift legal measures against those involved and are expected to be sent to the government’s top level soon.
According to the audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the EVMs were purchased at prices more than ten times higher than market rates, leading to an estimated Tk 3,172 crore in excess expenditure. The project was approved hastily without field surveys, and only six constituencies used EVMs in the 2018 election despite plans for 150. Currently, only about 40,000 of the 150,000 machines remain functional, with no budget allocated for maintenance or storage.
The current Election Commission has decided to discontinue EVM use, and the Election System Reform Commission has supported this stance, effectively rendering the entire project a financial loss.
ওয়াসিম সিদ্দিকী প্রকাশ : ০২ এপ্রিল ২০২৬, ০৮: ২৯আপডেট : ০২ এপ্রিল ২০২৬, ০৯: ১৩ দেড় লাখ ইলেকট্রনিক ভোটিং মেশিন (ইভিএম) কেনাকাটাকে ঘিরে কয়েক হাজার কোটি টাকার দুর্নীতির চাঞ্চল্যকর তথ্য উঠে এসেছে দুটি গোয়েন্দা সংস্থার পৃথক প্রতিবেদনে। প্রতিবেদনে প্রকল্পটি
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