Ex-CEC Habibul Awal sent to jail

City Desk:

A Dhaka court on Sunday sent former chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal to jail in a case filed for manipulating the national elections.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate GM Farhad Ishtiaq passed the order after the police produced the former CEC before the court at the end of his three-day remand, requesting that he be kept behind bars until the investigation is complete, reports media.

The defense, however, pleaded for his bail. After hearing both sides, the court ordered Kazi Habibul Awal’s detention in jail.

The Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested him on Wednesday from the city’s Moghbazar area and formally showed him arrested in the case.

On Thursday, the court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mustafizur Rahman placed him on a three-day remand.

BNP National Executive Committee member Md Salahuddin Khan filed the case on June 22 against 24 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and three former chief election commissioners, accusing them of manipulating the national elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024.

Later on June 22, police took KM Nurul Huda into custody from his residence in Sector 5 of Uttara after a mob had apprehended the former CEC around 7pm. He was subsequently shown arrested in the case.