The recently concluded 12th parliamentary election was a one-sided event as the voting was not free and participatory, according to the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
Terming such a plotted election an ominous signal for the country's democracy and democratic election in future, the TIB said it is contradictory to the spirit of glorious liberation war and freedom.
The Dhaka chapter of Berlin based Transparency International made the observations in a research report titled 'Twelfth National Election Process Tracking', unveiled at a press conference at its headquarters in the city's Dhanmondi area on Wednesday.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman and Adviser to the TIB's executive management team Sumaiya Khair were present at the programme among others.
According to the report, there was hardly any competition in 241 seats despite the ruling party creating scope for independent candidates from their own party to show off the election as competitive and participatory.
Besides, there were huge breaches of electoral conduct by the ruling party candidates; those mostly went unaddressed, it mentioned.
Even the national media, Bangladesh Television, was used by the ruling party candidates including the Prime Minister, it added.
The report also pointed out that BTV's 8.00pm bulletin aired election-related news for 493 minutes and 27 seconds at an estimated cost Tk 50 million between December 05 last year and January 05.
"BTV was used in a monopolistic way to broadcast the news of the ruling party's electioneering and rallies," it said.
Of the surveyed candidates in 50 seats, almost 80 per cent of Awami League (AL) candidates were found breaching electoral conducts by attaching posters on walls, polls and vehicles.
Around 76 per cent of independent (AL) candidates and 55 per cent of Jatiya Party were found doing so.
"Hundred per cent of the AL-nominated candidates broke at least one electoral code," the report said.
The irregularities in the surveyed seats included nonchalance of law enforcing agencies to prevent malpractices, control of information flow, forcing the voters to cast vote for a specific symbol, vote rigging and bribing to buy votes among others.
Three researchers Mahfuzul Huq, Newazul Mawla and Sajedul Islam conducted the research.
Presenting the overall observation section of the research, Dr Zaman said the January 7 election had not been participatory and free since the two major political parties took to opposition with uncompromising stance regarding the government during the election.
"The prerequisites-to ensure an atmosphere of neutrality and competition in an election -- including the concept of democratic election and international best practices were not followed in the 12th election," he said.
He also said the Election Commission (EC) has played a role of catalyst to implement one-sided election agenda through different mechanisms-often mandated by constitution and legal limitations.
The report said the business communities' dominance over the parliament has reached to the level of a one-sided affair which has created the risk of conflict of interest and abuse of policies in national affairs.
The researchers said the report is much broader than one-day election observations. To track the election process, the research had been conducted since June 2023 to gather information and analyse them.
Some 50 constituencies were covered in the research based on ransom selection. Concerned candidates, party leaders and activists, EC officials, law enforcing agency members, local journalists, voters and election observers were interviewed for the research.
Highlighting on the background of the 12th national election, the report said there had been many questionable moves taken by the government and its agencies to prepare the field for a one-sided election.
New political parties were formed prior to the election to portray it as competitive, according to the report.
There was an allegation of forming two parties (kings party) under the leadership of high-ups who led different political parties that boycotted the election.
Responding to a question on increase in voter turnout, the TIB Chief Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the sudden increase in the percentage of ballot casting from 27 per cent to 40 per cent in the last one hour was controversial.
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