Hasina, among 193 others sued over vote rigging in 2024 election

A case has been filed against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Tangail, accusing her of orchestrating a 'dummyelection' and rigging votes to secure parliamentary seat for the ruling party candidates in 2024.

The case was filed this afternoon by one Kamrul Hasan with Tangail Judicial Magistrate court. Judicial Magistrate Rumelia Sirajam took the case into cognisance and directed the Officer-in-Charge of Bhuyapur Police Station to investigate the matter and submit a report.

Plaintiff Kamrul Hasan, 55, hails from the Bharoi village of Bhuyapur upazila of Tangail, in his complaint, named 193 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, as accused, along with 150 to 200 unnamed individuals.

Advocate Abu Raihan Khan, former general secretary of the Tangail Bar Association and legal counsel for the plaintiff, said, "A total of 193 individuals have been made accused in the case with Sheikh Hasina as the prime accused. The court has recorded the plaintiff's statement and instructed Bhuyapur police to investigate. The next hearing is scheduled for 13 August. We hope justice will be served."

Key accused listed in the case also include former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former agriculture minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, former MP of Tangail-2 constituency Tanvir Hasan Chhoto Monir, former chief election commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, and former deputy commissioner of Tangail Mohammad
Shahidul Islam.

Additionally, leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, along with police and presiding officers, have been implicated in the complaint.

According to the case statement, Kamrul alleged that Hasina and her co-accused, 'under the directive of enemy state India', staged a dummy election on 7 January 2024. 

Kamrul, a voter at the Bharoi High School in Aloa Union of the upazila of Bhuyapur, claimed that when he and other voters went to cast their ballots, they were attacked by Awami League and Chhatra League "terrorists."

He further alleged that he was physically assaulted and threatened with death.

"The accused, with the assistance of police and election officials, took control of the polling center and forcefully stamped ballots for the ruling party's symbol," read the complaint.

Through widespread ballot stuffing and intimidation, the Awami League candidate Tanvir Hasan Chhoto Monir was allegedly declared the winner for Tangail-2, it said, adding, "The incident has caused significant harm to the country and its people."