'It was beyond my control': Ex-CEC Nurul Huda on his role in 2018 'midnight' election
The former CEC has acknowledged his role in what he described as a “predetermined and chaotic” electoral process, revealing that ballots were cast the night before election day across many centres.
In his confession in the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court, former chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has admitted that the 2018 general election was manipulated under pressure from the then ruling Awami League (AL) government.
He reportedly stated that he was rendered powerless in the face of a coordinated effort by political operatives, intelligence agencies, and field-level election officials.
In the confessional statement recorded in line with Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on Tuesday evening, Huda acknowledged his role in what he described as a "predetermined and chaotic" electoral process, revealing that ballots were cast the night before election day across many centres.
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"Once I came to know that the votes had already been cast the night before, everything was finished," he told the court, claimed the case's investigating officer, Inspector Syed Sajedur Rahman of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), while talking to The Business Standard today (2 July).
"Some centres saw 30% to 100% turnout before the voting even began," alleged Huda.
The former CEC confessed that while he was officially responsible for overseeing a free and fair election, he was systematically kept in the dark. "The ruling party's [AL] activists, aided by police, intelligence agencies, and the returning officers, carried out the voting overnight.
"They completed the entire process without informing the commission," he claimed.
According to Huda's statement, field officers acted under the direct influence of the then Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin, who allegedly worked on behalf of the AL regime. "Every field-level officer was under his command," Huda noted.
The confession comes after Huda was arrested on 22 June from his residence in Uttara, following the filing of a case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
The case, lodged by the BNP, accuses 24 individuals, including three former CECs and other election commissioners, of overseeing and participating in irregularities during the 10th, 11th, and 12th national elections.
Huda was later remanded for four days for interrogation. At the end of the remand, Huda expressed his desire to confess voluntarily, leading to the recording of his statement in court on Tuesday.
"I was remorseful but powerless. Once the election gazette was published, I could no longer cancel anything. It was beyond my control," Huda told the magistrate, as relayed by PBI's Sajedur Rahman.
Following his confession, the court ordered that Huda be sent to jail.
Advocate Touhidul Islam Sajib, Huda's counsel, confirmed the court proceedings and stated that the confession was made voluntarily.
Huda was also denied bail today and sent to jail.
The 11th parliamentary elections, conducted under the Nurul Huda-led Election Commission on 30 December 2018, resulted in a sweeping victory for the Awami League. However, opposition parties and election observers have widely alleged that the polls were rigged.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, along with the election commissioners, allegedly denied citizens their voting rights by enabling law enforcement and election officials to pre-fill ballot boxes with votes on the night before the election.
