One-sided polls led to July uprising - Says info minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin
Swapon yesterday said a decade of one-sided, non-participatory elections paved
the way for the July 2024 uprising.
Speaking as chief guest at the unveiling of “Phire
Dekha Shei Shomoy” by Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron
at CIRDAP in Dhaka, he alleged that the 10th, 11th and 12th parliamentary polls
were “detached from the people”.
“The 151
uncontested seats and the culture of midnight voting severely damaged the
country’s democracy,” he said.
Citing personal experience, Swapon claimed he was kept
under house arrest for nearly 40 days during a “midnight election”, while his
supporters were detained.
On restoring the caretaker government system, he said
the matter remains under judicial review. “Until the final court verdict and
parliamentary discussions on constitutional reform are settled, the definitive
position remains unclear.”
The author said the book documents alleged abuses
under the previous Awami League government, including enforced disappearances
and killings.
Swapon termed it a “social antivirus” against
power-driven corruption.
















