Election commissioners resign amid protests

All the election commissioners, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, have resigned en masse amid massive protests against their involvement in conducting rigged elections.
They announced their resignation at a press briefing in the capital on Thursday.
The President accepted resignation of the Election Commission (EC) members, said a press release from Bangabhaban on Thursday.
The resignation came amid massive protests by political parties and students who consider the EC as a symbol of the fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina who was legitimised by the rigged elections.
The EC members' unethical support to the past dictatorial regime made the condition worst for the people which forced thousands for a revolution against the dictator Sheikh Hasina-led government in July last.
The revolution caused above 1,000 casualties, also leaving thousands of people injured. Minimum 600 people lost their eyes in the revolution where law enforcing agencies shot innocent people incessantly.
Kazi Habibul Awal, a former senior secretary, was appointed as CEC on February 26, 2022.
Alongside him, Brig Gen (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan, former District and Sessions Judge Begum Rashida Sultana, former Senior Secretary Md. Alamgir, and former Senior Secretary Anisur Rahman served as commissioners.
The 12th parliamentary election held under this commission faced widespread controversy as BNP and several other political parties boycotted the polls.
As a result, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, formed the government for a historic fourth consecutive term.
Opposition parties, including BNP, have since been demanding resignation of both the EC and the government.
Their protests intensified following the last parliamentary polls, accusing them of bias and calling for its dissolution.
Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister in the face of mass uprising and fled to India.
After the fall of her government, the interim administration initiated a process to remove officials perceived as loyal to the fascist Awami League, including within the EC.
Public pressure has continued to mount, with many calling for the formation of a new commission.
Activists of political parties demanded immediate arrest of all the election commissioners who allegedly involved in conducting rigged elections which gave Hasina's regime a legal legitimacy.
CEC Awal finally suggested that all general elections be held under a non-partisan caretaker government.
He also advocated for the increased use of technology, such as online filing of nominations.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, however, demanded immediate arrest of the election commissioners.
The EC was one of the entities responsible for destroying the democracy of our nation, he said.
Rizvi made these remarks at a press conference at the BNP central office in Naya Paltan on Thursday.

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