āĻāĻŦāĻŋ: āĻĢāĻžāĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻŋ
Staff Reporter, Dhaka | 13 February 2026
Md. Aminul Haque, a rival candidate in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, has alleged widespread irregularities, corruption, and vote rigging in the Dhaka-16 constituency (Parliamentary Seat No. 189). On 13 February, he submitted a written application to the Returning Officer at the Election Commission Secretariat, demanding suspension of the election results and re-polling at the disputed polling stations.
In his application, Aminul Haque alleged that the election held on 12 February involved serious violations of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972, and the electoral code of conduct. He claimed that there is video evidence of money being distributed on the night before the election by the rival candidate. He also alleged that polling agents were intimidated and forced out of polling centers. According to him, result sheets were prepared at more than 40 polling stations without the signatures of agents, and in many cases signatures were taken on the result sheets even before vote counting. The application also mentioned serious allegations such as preventing voters from reaching polling centers and the discovery of pre-stamped ballot books at certain centers before voting began.
The applicant further stated that there were major discrepancies between the total votes announced at polling centers numbered 1 to 29 and the results provided by presiding officers, as well as in the statistics of postal votes. He argued that under Article 119 of the Constitution, it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure a free and fair election, but that responsibility was not fulfilled in this case. He said that despite lodging complaints with the Assistant Returning Officer earlier, no remedy was provided. Therefore, under Section 91A of the RPO, he has now requested the suspension of the election results and the formation of a high-level investigation committee to ensure justice.
Reporter: Murad Hossain Liton
reporter
