Imtiaz Ahmed, Journalist
Bangladesh – Dhaka

Bangladesh goes to the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections on Sunday (January 7, 2024) amid boycott of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition political party, and some left and right Islamic political parties.

According to Election Commission (EC) officials, a total of 1,970 candidates, including 1,534 from 28 political parties and 436 independents, are vying in the 7 January polls in 299 parliamentary seats

Though the EC declared an election schedule for all 300 constituencies simultaneously across the country, the polls will be held in 299 seats as a contestant of Naogaon-2 constituency died.

The Bangladesh government has declared the election day, 7 January , as a public holiday.

The voting will start from 8.00 am on January 7 and will continue till 4.00 pm on the day.

As Thursday was the last day for the candidates to conduct an election campaign, many of the MP aspirants were seen going door to door and seeking votes for themselves.

Bangladesh witnessed tremendous development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in last 15 years. The South Asian country became a member of a middle-income group in 2021 and is set to come off the least developed country (LDC) status by 2026.

The country has seen the construction of Padma Bridge, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel built under the Karnaphuli river in Chittagong, expansion of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the introduction of metro rail service in Dhaka city and ongoing construction of Matarbari Deep Sea Port in Chittagong during the last 15 years.

Controversies still exist in Bangladesh over the last two parliament elections held in 2014 and 2018 as the main opposition political party BNP accused the ruling Bangladesh Awami League of meddling into the electoral process.

Bangladesh held the first parliament election in 1973 and the Bangladesh Awami League claimed the landslide victory with 293 seats out of 300 seats.

The military rulers General Ziaur Rahman and General Hossain Mohammad Ershad conducted parliament elections in 1979 and 1986 and their parties— Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party– won the elections respectively.

Bangladesh also conducted parliament elections under interim and caretaker governments in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2008, perhaps the most credible polls in the history of the country, according to civil society members, economists, journalists, business leaders, historians, educationists and even most top leading ruling and opposition political parties.

The country got independence in 1971 through a bloody  war with the Pakistani military. Some 30 lakh people lost their lives in the liberation war and some 3 lakh women and girls got physically assaulted.

Though countries in the South Asia –-India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan and even Pakistan –have developed credible and transparent election system over the years, controversy still persists in Bangladesh among the major political parties over the conducting parliament election.

The culture of showing respect to the opposition political parties has not grown over the last 52 years and even the situation has worsened further in recent years, according to neutral political persons.

Former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh (2007-2012) M Sakhawat Hossain in several talk shows considers that the parliament election without the main opposition political party—Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)- will deepen political crisis in the country.

He wrote more than 32 books, and serves as a columnist and freelance commentator on national and international television as a security and defense analyst.

Taswar Ahmad, a student of the computer science and engineering department of the North South University, while talking to this correspondent said that he is excited as he will cast vote in the parliament election for the first time in his life.

Ahmed Rasel, a young staff member of a leading English daily at Eskaton  Garden, said that he will boycott this parliament election, calling this a mockery of the ruling political party.

Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said during a regular media briefing recently that the US wants a free, fair, and credible election, which is conducted in a peaceful manner.

“We do not support one political party in Bangladesh; we don’t favor one political party over the other. We urge all parties to exercise restraint, avoid violence, and work together to create the conditions for free and fair elections conducted in a peaceful manner,” he added.

When asked about the recent alleged threats against Ambassador Peter Haas, the US State spokesperson said, “The safety and security of our diplomats overseas is, of course, our – our top priority. We take any threats against them very seriously.

“Violence or threats of violence directed at our diplomatic personnel is unacceptable. We have repeatedly raised our concerns about the threatening rhetoric directed at Ambassador Haas with the Bangladeshi Government. Would remind them that they have an obligation under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to ensure the safety and security of US diplomatic missions and personnel,” he added.

Meanwhile, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley has laid emphasis on peaceful, fair and participatory elections in Bangladesh.

“We encourage peaceful, free, fair and participatory elections in Bangladesh,” he told reporters after his meeting with Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

Meanwhile, during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said, “The elections in Bangladesh – and we have been very consistently saying this – is the domestic affair of Bangladesh.”

“It is for the people of Bangladesh to decide their future,” he added.

He made the remarks when reporters asked what India’s view regarding questions being raised over the credibility of the Bangladesh elections on 7 January as major opposition parties are not participating.

Reporters also asked if India was sending any team of official observers to Bangladesh, to which Randhir did not comment.

Senior diplomat Randhir Jaiswal on Wednesday  assumed charge as the new spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, succeeding Arindam Bagchi.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged the people to give a befitting reply to arson violence of the BNP and Jamaat by casting their votes in the 7 January general election.

“Don’t only cast your vote, protect your vote also. Give a befitting reply to arson violence, militant and terrorist BNP and Jamaat,” she said while addressing an election rally, arranged jointly by AL Dhaka City South and North units at Kalabagan Krirachakra Field in the city’s Dhanmondi area.

She asked the people of Bangladesh to stay vigilant always against arsonists BNP and Jamaat as they want to destroy the country.

“The BNP and Jamaat want to snatch your votes in the upcoming election by resorting to arson violence,” she said.

The PM urged the voters to go to polling stations and cast their votes in the morning on 7 January so that none can snatch away their voting rights and election.

Alleging that BNP is habituated to rig votes, she said the party is now boycotting the election as it can’t steal votes.

“They don’t want to run in the election, rather want to spoil the election…But they don’t have so much courage to stop the election. They won’t be able to do so,” she went on.

Referring to the BNP’s poor performance in the 2008 election, Hasina said many people had earlier thought that BNP is a very strong party and would secure more seats or equal to Awami League’s in that election.

“We now get votes of the people as we’ve won the hearts of the people by working for them in every sector. We don’t need to rig votes,” she said, adding that the BNP can’t win without vote-rigging which was proven in the 2008 election.

The PM said her government has already undertaken projects to make the rivers surrounding Dhaka, including the Buriganga, Balu and Turag, free from pollution, enhance their navigability and construct walkways on their banks.

She said the overhead cables of different services will be taken underground in phases to enhance the beauty of Dhaka and thus ensure safety of the city dwellers.

The prime minister greeted everyone on the occasion of the new year of 2024.

The AL president introduced her party’s 15 candidates who are running in the 12th parliamentary election from different constituencies in Dhaka, seeking votes for them.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said that out of 127 foreign observers or experts, 60 have already arrived in the country ahead of the national polls.

“So far, 60 foreign observers or experts have arrived here and all together 127 have scheduled to come. Besides, 73 foreign journalists have received accreditations and among them 17 have already arrived,” he said while talking to reporters after the chief election commissioner briefed the foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka.

Masud said, “Most of the foreign election observers and journalists will arrive here by tonight and tomorrow morning. They will monitor the polls in Dhaka and also outside Dhaka.”

“We can’t determine where they will go, but we have suggested that they choose the destinations that have air connectivity,” he added.

The foreign secretary said the government will provide security to the foreign diplomats and offered local hospitality to officials of the election commissions of other countries.

More than 50 diplomats of different countries stationed in Dhaka attended the briefing where the CEC informed them the latest updates of the preparation of the Sunday’s election.

He said the CEC was able to make the diplomats understand that there is no lack of sincerity and dedication from the election commission to hold a free and fair election…

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s main opposition political party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), leader Abdul Moyeen Khan on Thursday  alleged that the government will suffer a crushing defeat through the ‘dummy’ election on 7 January.

“The government is thinking of a victory on 7 January. The reality is that Awami League will suffer a severe defeat in Bangladesh on 7 January,” he said.

Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader also said Awami League which claims to be a pro-independence force, is walking on the wrong path. “If they continue to walk on the wrong path, they will be thrown into the dustbin of history.” You (AL) should realise this bitter truth.”

Bangladesh Smmalita Peshajibi Parishad, a platform of pro-BNP professionals, arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in protest against the 12th parliamentary polls billed for 7 January.

Later, Moyeen, a BNP standing committee member, along with the leaders and different professional bodies distributed leaflets among the pedestrians urging them to boycott the election.

He called upon the government to come to the right path to restore peace in the country by cancelling the election, and dissolving the parliament and the cabinet. “You won’t be able to suppress the 18 crore people of Bangladesh with bullets, sound grenades and tear gas. So come to the path of negotiation, come to the path of peace.”

The BNP leader said 63 political parties, including the BNP, are boycotting the election as they believe in liberal, democratic and peaceful politics. “That’s why I am calling upon the government to come back from the wrong path. Try to learn how to respect the opinion of the people of the country. You claim that you are the pro-Liberation War forces. If that is the case, why have you sacrificed democracy?”

He said both the people of Bangladesh and the foreigners have no confidence in the 7-January election.

Moyeen said journalists from different international media came to Dhaka to present how a so-called election is being held in Bangladesh through their reports.

Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi distributed leaflets, containing BNP’s call for boycotting Sunday’s election, near Uttara Rajuk School in the morning.

Talking to reporters there, he said only the Awami League leaders and workers, not the common voters, will go to the polling stations on Sunday, no matter what strategies the government resorts to.

“The government thought it would show the democratic world that a fair election was taking place by showing dummy candidates…but it has become clear to the democratic world that a stage-managed election is being held in Bangladesh,” the BNP leader said.

Rizvi said the government will not be able to stay in power by holding a dummy election using the state machinery.

“The consequences will not be good if you (govt) push the country towards danger. People will boycott the election and they won’t go to the polling stations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senior Joint General Secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed on Tuesday that more than one lakh BNP leaders and activists have been accused in 1,124 cases filed by the police over political programmes enforced by the opposition party since 28 July, 2023

Besides, 24,541 leaders and activists of BNP have been arrested and 27 people, including journalists, have been killed during the period, Rizvi said through a virtual press conference.

“The jail authorities cancelled BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal’s division facilities inside the prison,” he added.

Earlier at noon, while distributing leaflets in the Gulshan-2 area, Rizvi once again called on the people to boycott the upcoming elections, terming the polls a farce.

“The nation is being cheated through illegal dummy elections; it is a fraud against the entire nation. We must stand against this illegal election and boycott it,” he said.

Urging voters to prevent the elections, he said, “The fascist Awami League government has rigged people’s right to vote; they have taken away freedom of speech. They want to shape the country as a one-party state, but it will not be possible on independent soil.”

He also said the BNP would revive democracy in Bangladesh through a peaceful process.

The BNP, among some other parties, had called for elections to be held under a caretaker government – the constitutional provision for which was scrapped in 2011

Meanwhile, the BNP has announced a 48-hour hartal from Saturday morning in protest of the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls.

The opposition party and its allies will observe the hartal programme from Saturday 6am to Monday 6am, BNP Senior Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced in a virtual press briefing on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the opposition party also announced countrywide processions and mass contact campaigns for Friday.

Rizvi on the day called for boycotting the upcoming national elections for public interest.

“Boycott the election for public interest, for civil liberties and in the interest of basic freedom of the people,” he said after distributing leaflets, calling on people to boycott the elections and join BNP’s non-cooperation movement in front of Uttara Rajuk Model College.

“Don’t push the country towards danger by forcing dummy and one-sided elections,” he urged the government.

The BNP leader also said, “Power cannot be retained by cheating the people in this way.”

Meanwhile,  Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Thursday said the Election Commission (EC) has assured diplomats of different foreign countries and representatives of different international organizations that the upcoming parliament election will be free, fair and credible.

“The upcoming parliamentary election will be free, fair and credible,” he told journalists after briefing diplomats of different foreign countries and representatives of different international organizations on the latest and overall situation of the 12th parliamentary polls in a city hotel.

Election Commissioners (EC) Brig Gen Md Ahsan Habib Khan (Retd), Rashida Sultana, Md. Alamgir, Md. Anisur Rahman, Foreign senior secretary Masud Bin Momen, Information and Broadcasting senior secretary Md. Humayun Kabir Khandaker, Election Commission Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam, Principal Information Officer Md. Shahinoor Miah were present on the occasion.

The CEC said the Election Commission has taken all necessary measures to hold the upcoming parliamentary election slated for January 7 in a free, fair and credible manner.

“We are focusing on the entire situation related to the parliament election to make it transparent, credible, free and fair,” he added.

The CEC said diplomats of different countries and representatives of different foreign agencies have shown their desires for holding a free, fair and credible general election after coming to the Election Commission in many times.

In response to interests and desires of foreign diplomats and representatives, he said, “We have been able to assure them that the upcoming parliamentary election will be held in free, fair and credible manner . . . election commission is constantly overseeing entire situations of the parliament election.”

As part of the initiatives related to elections, Awal said, “We will introduce election management apps on the election day to know voting percentage in every two hours.”

The newly introduced election management apps will help the parliament election transparent as it will show percentage of casting voters in every two hours, he added.

Anyone can know the voting percentage through the newly introduced election managements apps, the CEC added.

During the meeting, foreign diplomats wanted to know that EC or the government are creating any pressure on voters to go polling stations for casting their vote, Awal said adding EC and the government are not creating any pressure on voters.

As part of the election awareness campaign, the EC is encouraging the people to go to polling station for casting their votes, he added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said that out of 127 foreign observers or experts, 60 have already arrived in the country ahead of the national polls.

“So far, 60 foreign observers or experts have arrived here and all together 127 have scheduled to come. Besides, 73 foreign journalists have received accreditations and among them 17 have already arrived,” he said while talking to reporters after the chief election commissioner briefed the foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka.

Masud said, “Most of the foreign election observers and journalists will arrive here by tonight and tomorrow morning. They will monitor the polls in Dhaka and also outside Dhaka.”

“We can’t determine where they will go, but we have suggested that they choose the destinations that have air connectivity,” he added.

The foreign secretary said the government will provide security to the foreign diplomats and offered local hospitality to officials of the election commissions of other countries.

More than 50 diplomats of different countries stationed in Dhaka attended the briefing where the CEC informed them the latest updates of the preparation of the Sunday’s election.

He said the CEC was able to make the diplomats understand that there is no lack of sincerity and dedication from the election commission to hold a free and fair election.