The ballots were allegedly stuffed in the night before the voting day of the 11th parliamentary election on December 30, 2018; hence the election was dubbed as "night-time voting".
The voting fraud was widely discussed and criticized at home and abroad and the on-duty police officers were the main force for the implementation of the nigh-time voting plan.
As a result, the Awami League-led Grand Alliance steered by Sheikh Hasina secured another landslide victory in the polls which were marred by countrywide deadly violence. At least 17 people were killed in election-related violence in various parts of the country.
The opposition politicians and the international community believed the elections were rigged.
Meanwhile, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from office on August 5 and fled to India following a month-long, student-led mass uprising.
However, police officers who were involved in "night-time voting" during 2018 election are still steering the police force. According to sources over thousand died in shootings by law-enforcement personnel during July-August uprising. Policemen took the leading role in shooting on the street protesters.
Preferring anonymity, a high official of Homey Ministry told the Daily Observer on Wednesday said those who used policemen in mass shooting will face the music and those who ordered police to shoot people will face stern punishment.
Meanwhile, most of the police officers who were involved in predicator of night-time voting got promotion and prize posting following the 2018 election. After the fall of the Awami League government, some police officers were attached and dismissed on various charges; but many of them are still holding good positions.
In 2019, 349 police officers were rewarded for vote with Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM) and President Police Medal (PPM). All-most all the district Superintendents of Police (SP) and range DIGs got the medals then. After December 30, 2018 parliamentary elections, SP of 64 districts were also given medals during Police Week 2019 as a reward for their cooperation in bringing Awami League (AL) to power through night-time voting.
According to sources, after the fall of Awami League, most of them did not have to face major punishments. Recently, a reliable Facebook page named Bangladesh Civil Force has published a list with the names of the police officers who were involved in 2018 voting fraud.
Many of the police officers who were working as Superintendents of Police during the polls were promoted to Additional DIG, DIG and various important posts. It has been confirmed that many of those officers are still working in various police departments even after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
According to relevant sources, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Javed Patwary, ex-RAB Director General (DG) Benazir Ahmed, Habibur Rahman, former DIG administration at police headquarters and former DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, former Deputy Commissioner of DMP Biplab Kumar Sarkar, Police Officer Praloy Kumar Joaddar, ex-CTTC Chief Monirul Islam are among the senior police officials who oversaw the "night-time voting."
A syndicate of police officers in Gopalganj and Kishoreganj areas along with the then Superintendent of Police (SP) of Narayanganj Harun ur Rashid and SP of Khulna SM Safiullah also actively involved in the vote rigging.
According to Police rule, a SP can be posted in one district once but violating the rule Harun and SM Safiullah have served as SP in multiple districts. Harun was posted to Gazipur from Narayanganj as SP. SM Safiullah Superintendent of Police of Khulna as reward of vote rigging got posting as SP of Gazipur and Chattogram. The duo allegedly accumulated huge amount of money and assets during their duties as SP. There were allegations against them of encroachment, summoning and extorting money at various industrial areas including garment factories and garaging land.
After that, Harun was promoted to DB as Additional Commissioner in DMP. After serving as Additional Commissioner Cyber Unit and DB in two divisions, Harun was promoted to DB Chief. He set up a torture cell by bringing BNP leaders and activists to DB.
Harun led the police in mass killings during July- August uprising. After the fall of the AL government, Harun was detained but later mysteriously fled the country. It is alleged that some police officers helped him to escape.
Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman, another planner of night-time voting, played a key role in taking false cases against BNP leaders and activists while working as SP in Dhaka district. He is also accused of harassing BNP-Jamaat leaders and not allowing them to stay in their homes.
Syed Nurul Islam got promoted and posted as DIG of Dhaka range. This police officer did not have to face any obstacles in promotion due to BCL politics background during his student life. During the 2024 election, he was on duty as DIG of Dhaka range.
Ashraful Azim, another planner of night polling, was in charge as deputy commissioner of Uttara division of DMP before the fall of the AL government. This police officer was one of the masterminds of Uttara massacre during the July-August 2024 student movement. After the fall of the AL government on August 5, this police officer went into hiding.
Former joint commissioner Biplab Kumar, another mastermind of night polling, fled to India after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government. Police officer Monirul Islam, former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, Additional DIG Praloy Kumar Joaddar, DIG Krishna Pad Roy, former CID chief Mohammad Ali Miah, Dhaka range DIG Syed Nurul Islam are went into hiding.
Former DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia is now in jail in a murder case. Former IGP Benazir Ahmed fled the country. Another former IGP Javed Patwari served as ambassador in Saudi but his whereabouts is still unknown.
On the other hand, many of the former SPs of 64 districts who were promoted to Additional DIGs and DIGs are still in service. Besides, some have been attached to different places in important units of police. However, none of them were fired.
The SP of Comilla district was Syed Nurul Islam who later got promotion and got a prize posting as DIG of Dhaka range. Noor-E-Alam Mina, SP of Chattogram promoted as DIG Chattogram range.
During the AL government, Ziadul Kabir was posted as SP of Chandpur district, SP of Narsingdi was Miraj Uddin Ahmed, SP of Brahmanbaria was Anwar Khan, SP of Barguna was Maruf Hossain, SP of Bagarhat was Pankaj Chandra Roy, SP of Chudanga was Md. Mahbubur Rahman, SP of Bogura was Ali Ashraf Bhuiyan, SP of Cox's Bazar was ABM Masud Hossain, SP of Barisal was Md. Saiful Islam, SP of Dinajpur was Syed Abu Sayem, SP of Faridpur was Md Zakir Hossain Khan, SP of Feni was SM Jahangir Alam Sarkar, SP of Gaibandha was Abdul Mannan, SP Gazipur was Samsunnahar, SP of Gopalganj was Saidur Rahman, SP of Habiganj was Bidhan Tripura, SP of Joypurhat was Md Rashidul Hasan, SP of Jamalpur was Delwar Hossain, SP of Jessore was Md. Moinul Haque, Md. Zubaydur Rahman was the SP in Jhalkathi, Md. Hasanuzzaman in Jhenaidah, Md. Ahmar Uzzamana in Khagrachhari, Mashrukur Rahman Khaled in Kishoreganj, Md Mehdul Karim in Kurigram, SM Tanvir Arafat in Kustia, AS Mahatab Uddin in Lakmiipur, SM Rashidul Haque in Lalmonirhat, Mohammad Sarwar Hossain in Madaripur, Khan Mohammad Rezwan in Magura, Rifat Rahman Shamim in Manikganj, Mostafizur Rahman in Meherpur, Md. Shah Jalal in Moulvibazar, Mohammad Zaidul Alam Fuad in Munshiganj, Md. Shah Abid Hossain in Mymensingh, Md. Iqbal Hossain in Nowga, Md. Moktar Hossain in Bhola, Zakir Hossain Majumdar in Bandarban, Biblap Vijay Talukdar in Natore, ATM Mojahedul Islam in Chapainawabganj, Joydev Chowdhury in Netrokona, Mohammad Ashraf in Nilphamari, Md. Ilyach Sharif in Noakhali, Md. Jasim Uddin in Narail, Md. Sheikh Rafiqul Islam in Pabna, Md. Ghiyasuddin Ahmed in Panchagarh, Md. Mainul Hasan in Patuakhali, Mohammad Salam Kabir in Pirojpur, Asma Siddika Milli in Rajbari, Md. Shahidullah in Rajshahi, Mizanur Rahman in Rangpur, Mohammad Alamgir Kabir in Rangamati, Md. Sajjadur Rahman in Satkhira, Md. Abdul Momen in Shariatpur, Kazi Ashraful Azim in Sherpur, Tutul Chakraborty in Sirajganj, Md. Baraktuullah Khan in Sunamganj, Md. Moniruzzaman in Sylhet, Mohammad Moniruzzaman in Thakurgao, Sanjit Kumar Roy in Tangail district.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to investigate officials related to the 11th national election.
The Commission had received complaints regarding election manipulation during the 11th national election, and a five-member team had been formed to investigate these complaints, ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain told reporters at a briefing held at the ACC headquarters on Wednesday.
