BNP says ‘election engineering’ underway, seeks EC action

The BNP on Saturday alleged that a rival political force is preparing a coordinated plan to manipulate the upcoming national election, raising fresh tensions as the campaign enters its final stretch.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Gulshan election office, BNP Central Election Steering Committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin claimed recent incidents point to a “well-planned attempt” to influence both the voting process and the final results.

“Some developments suggest systematic election engineering,” said Mahdi, who also serves as an adviser to BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman. He alleged that large numbers of burqas and niqabs were being prepared in different parts of the country to exploit religious sentiment and facilitate fake voting.

The BNP leader cited the recent recovery of six illegal voting seals in Laxmipur and the arrest of a printing press owner as evidence supporting the party’s claims. According to him, the press owner told a court that the seals were produced on instructions from a Jamaat-e-Islami leader. He added that investigators reportedly found WhatsApp order details and other materials linking the operation to a candidate, suggesting a broader conspiracy to influence the election.

Mahdi demanded legal action against everyone involved and called on the Election Commission to tighten monitoring at polling centres. He urged authorities to appoint an adequate number of female polling officers at women’s booths and strictly enforce voter identification rules, including requiring voters to uncover their faces during verification, in line with existing guidelines.

He also alleged that the same political camp had earlier collected National ID information and mobile banking numbers door to door, raising concerns about possible voter impersonation. The BNP leader further claimed to have information about preparations to print extra ballot papers, though he did not provide detailed evidence.

In a separate allegation, Mahdi referred to a recent law enforcement operation in Old Dhaka’s Sutrapur area, where 152 cricket stumps were reportedly recovered from the house of a local political leader. “This raises questions about whether they are preparing for violence during the election,” he said, urging authorities to increase surveillance.

The BNP also questioned the neutrality of some election observer organisations. Mahdi pointed to the approval of the People’s Association for Social Advancement (PASA), which he said has been allocated more than 10,000 observers out of the 55,454 approved nationwide. He claimed the organisation operates from a single-room office in Habiganj, an issue he said had already been reported in the media.

Calling on the Election Commission and the interim government to act decisively, Mahdi said ensuring a level playing field was essential to restoring public confidence. “A free, fair and neutral election is the only path forward,” he said, warning that any attempt to manipulate the process could deepen political instability.