Dhaka: Renowned photographer and human rights activist Shahidul Alam has expressed frustration over the Election Commission’s role in preventing irregularities surrounding Thursday’s national election. In a Facebook post in the early hours of Thursday, he wrote that the posts he had been sharing might not be representative, as they were based solely on information sent to him. ‘I have no way of knowing how much rigging is going on or who is doing the most rigging. But it is clear that the situation is rampant, and that the EC is largely ineffective,’ he wrote.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Shahidul Alam highlighted concerns about the political landscape during the Awami League’s tenure, suggesting it was dominated by ‘only one party,’ and noted that it now appears to be ‘a free for all.’ He expressed serious doubts about the election’s integrity, stating, ‘Given what I am already seeing, I see no way in which this election can be described as being ‘free, fair and inclusive.’
Shahidul Alam also commented on the interim government’s performance, describing its success as mixed. He emphasized that while some failures might be forgivable, the inability to conduct a proper election would severely damage its credibility. He urged immediate and effective actions to address irregularities and hold violators accountable, warning that failure to do so could result in a ‘permanent stain’ on the administration.
He further reminded about the sacrifices made for the country, stating, ‘Too many have shed too much blood for our country to be reduced to this.’ Despite the strong words, a review of his social media handles revealed only one post related to alleged vote rigging.