Dhaka: A court here today sent former chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal to jail in a case lodged for manipulating the national election. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate GM Farhad Ishtiaq passed the order as police produced the former CEC before the court after the end of his three-day remand and pleaded to keep him behind bars till the end of the probe. The defence, however, argued for allowing him bail in the case. After hearing both sides, the court sent Kazi Habibul Awal to jail.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested him on June 25 from the city’s Moghbazar area and showed him arrested in the case. The court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mustafizur Rahman on June 26 placed him on a three-day remand.
BNP national executive committee member Md Salah Uddin Khan filed the case on June 22 against 24 individuals, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and three former chief election commissioners, for manipulating the national elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024.
Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, four former inspectors general of police (IGP), several former election commissioners, and former chiefs of SB, NSI, and DGFI have been accused in the case.
Police later on June 22 took KM Nurul Huda into custody from his residence at sector 5 of Uttara as a mob apprehended the former CEC around 7pm. He was later shown arrested in the case.