The `thoroughly contested` and biased 12th parliamentary elections were not democratic or fair. A total of 41.8 percent polling, including 15.43 percent polling in the last hour of the election, sparked controversy. However, the absence of 15 registered parties, including the BNP and, them boycotting polls meant that the majority of the constituencies went uncontested.
This information was known in the research report titled `12th National Parliament Election Process Tracking` organized by TIB in the capital on Wednesday. TIB researcher Mahfuzur Haque, Newazul Mawla, Sajedul Islam presented the research report.
According to the organization, the elections didn’t take place in most of the constituencies even though the independent candidates of their respective parties were elected to make the elections appear competitive and participatory. Such a process of election is a bad sign for democracy.
According to the research report, most polling stations across the country did not have polling agents for candidates other than Awami League and independent candidates. Opposition candidates were prevented from entering the polling center. Agents of candidates of other parties were thrown out in various constituencies by creating low turnout and dummy lines on polling day.
The TIB investigation revealed this information based on charges of irregularities by defeated Awami League and independent candidates, such as sealing ballots before the election and publicly sealing them during voting.
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