A sedition case has been filed at a Chittagong court against the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and three chief election commissioners and the commission secretaries during the Awami League government’s tenure.
All the elected members of parliament for three tenures have been also made accused in the case.
A freedom fighter named Ekramul Karim, also former general secretary of Chittagong City unit BNP, filed the case in the court of Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam on Wednesday.
The plaintiff's lawyer Kafil Uddin said that the court ordered the police to investigate.
In the 2014, 2018 and 2024 parliamentary elections, many popular leaders, including opposition parties, did not participate. Common people could not exercise their right to vote.
The failure of those in the commission has led to unilateral behavior by the administration and law enforcement in the election process.
In the three elections conducted at a great cost, the election commissioner and administrative officials violated the constitution.
Additionally, the members of parliament elected in these elections have been accused in the case of unlawfully benefiting from their positions.
The accused are Kazi Raqibuddin Ahmad who served as CEC in the 2014 election, election commissioners Abu Hafiz, Md Javed Ali, Md Abdul Mubarak and Md Shahnewaz; former CEC KM Nurul Huda, election commissioners Rafiqul Islam, Kavita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury and Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, who served in the 2018 elections; chief election commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, and election commissioners Ahsan Habib Khan, Begum Rasheda Sultana, Md Alamgir and Md Anisur Rahman and Election Commission secretary Jahangir Alam, who served in the 2024 general election.
Former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has also been made accused.
The complaint in the case states that at the direction and instigation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the defendants conspired to usurp the democratic rights of the people, violating the country's constitution and laws. They declared a group of unelected individuals as members of parliament through a one-sided, fake election that lacked public participation.
Subsequently, these individuals were appointed as ministers and speakers. As a result, the people of the country became disillusioned and turned away from voting, leading to a crisis in democracy. An authoritarian, corrupt system emerged, with members of parliament and ministers undermining the economy by siphoning off national resources abroad, the complaint added.
The plaintiff, Ekramul said that the case should be thoroughly investigated and that all salaries and allowances of the deceitfully elected members of parliament should be reclaimed for the state.
