Bangladesh: ex-CEC arrested for manipulating polls during his tenure

In Bangladesh, former chief election commissioner K M Nurul Huda has been arrested on charges of manipulating elections during his tenure, police said. Dhaka metropolitan police’s Deputy Commissioner Mohidul Islam on Sunday said Huda was arrested in the case filed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) against three former CECs -- Huda, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad and Kazi Habibul Awal, 10 former election commissioners, and 11 others for their alleged role in irregularities and bias during the national elections held in 2014, 2018, and 2024,including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Election Commission officials said this was probably the first time that a former CEC has been detained over issues related to elections, the Daily Star newspaper reported. BNP alleges that in all three parliamentary elections -- the 10th in 2014, the 11th in 2018, and the 12th in 2024 -- their leaders and supporters were targeted with false cases, abductions, and threats. It claims many were arrested or harassed to prevent them from participating in the polls. According to the BNP, the accused in the case were involved in various irregularities during the three elections.
Earlier in the day, the 77-year-old, who oversaw the elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, was assaulted by a mob outside his Uttara residence. Uttara West police station chief Hafizur Rahman said, "We went to the scene after being informed" that a mob has surrounded Huda. We have brought him into our custody.” Another police officer said the mob raided Huda’s residence located at Uttara area in Dhaka and dragged him out of his house before the arrival of police. “The mob-created unruly situation and the physical assault on the accused has drawn the government's attention. The government urges citizens not to take the law into their hands," the statement said. It also warned of appropriate actions against such people.