Dr. Syed Nesar Ahamad Rumy :
At present election is much talked issue in Bangladesh. It is more than fifty-two years that we have achieved independence but we could not settle the issue in important in which way our national election will be held. Major political parties in Bangladesh could not come to a solution on this point till today. Main stream political parties seem divided on this issue. They do not talk each other and speeches given by the leaders of main two parties are not congenial to the development of true political culture. Leaders are always busy bullying to one another.
After independence we have experience of eleven general elections. We all know under partisan election incumbent ruling parties were not defeated till to day. But under nonparty caretaker government the incumbent ruling parties were defeated in all the general elections. This is a unique feature of the political scenario in Bangladesh. It proves that there must have some serious loopholes of conducting elections under the partisan government.
We know only four general elections were held under neutral or caretaker government. More or less those elections were acceptable to the people of Bangladesh, political parties and international communities. But other seven general elections were less acceptable to the people, political parties and as well as international community too. Out of these seven elections four elections were not at all acceptable to the people. People in general did not or could not go to the polling stations. Those elections were held in 1988, February 1996, 2014 and 2018. So we can see those elections were very much error-blasted. And people could not exercise their voting rights in general and in this way people’s mandate was not reflected in those elections. The voters’ turnout was so poor that by any consideration those were not free and fair elections. About those elections there are many arguments and counter arguments regarding election process from government and opposition sides. But the fact is people could not or did not exercise the voting rights in those elections. The most outstanding issue was that about 40 and about 154 members were elected unopposed in February 96 and January 2014 elections. Though the government formed after February 96 election resigned within two weeks and parliament was dissolved after enacting caretaker system of government. So it can be said the purpose of the parliament formed after February 96 election was to introduce an election time government in the constitution. Though opposition in the then time said government was compelled to introduce caretaker system under strong pressure from their end. But the ruling party of that time did not admit this compulsion openly. That time the environment and reality was exceptional and government was under pressure from the opposition and considering all these the then government had to incorporate caretaker provision in the constitution.
Generally, we can say that democracy had been reintroduced after general election held in 1991. In that parliament we felt always the activities of powerful and vibrant opposition and people were used to see the prospective democracy in our country. Party in power and in opposition came to a consensus to reintroduce parliamentary system of democracy and accordingly an amendment of the constitution was enacted unanimously and everything went fine and ideal. But in time of Magura by-election some untoward incidents happened and the then opposition took a stand against the government and election commission. In the meantime, 1971 collaborator issue came to the surface of political scenario. A national committee patronized by the then opposition named Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee formed and they started severe movement to try those who collaborated with Pakistani army during 1971 liberation war. In this situation political discussion and debates came out to the streets from parliament. So in this dilemma parliamentary politics started weakening and after 30 years, still now that trend is ongoing in Bangladesh politics. Meanwhile about 147 MPs of the parliament resigned from the parliament and for that reason parliament became truncated. Opposition started severe movement against the then government for introduction of nonparty caretaker government for election time. That time ruling party had not sufficient members to amend the constitution as about half of the parliament members resigned from the parliament.For amending constitution two-third majority was necessary. To way out of this political stalemate ruling party had to hold a general election on February 1996 for amending constitution and the then opposition did not take part in that general election. Obviously the incumbent ruling party got the sufficient majority to amend the constitution.
After enactment of nonparty caretaker system, a new general election was held in the month of June 1996. A sharp and close contest occurred and the main opposition Awami League got simple majority. But with the help of JP they formed the government and started their rule after long 21 years. The incumbent ruling party BNP took their seat on the opposition bench. In the history of parliamentary politics this opposition was the most powerful and vibrant opposition in the parliament of Bangladesh. Everything went fine. But lack of trust between treasury and opposition evolved on different issues. And ultimately opposition members started boycotting parliamentary debates but they took part in different parliamentary committees’ meetings.
Under caretaker system another two general elections were held in the year 2001 and 2008. In both the elections the incumbents ruling party was defeated. Both the elections were participatory and inclusive. Huge number of voters cast their votes in these two elections. Election observers of home and abroad admitted the elections as free, fair, participatory and inclusive.
After 1991 some events in our political arena have made political environment complex and more complicated. Those events are as follows:
a. Boycotting parliamentary sessions by opposition for indefinite period;
b. Formation of Gono Adalot and Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee;
c. Civil bureaucrats’ disobedience and Janatar Moncho in 1996;
d. Grenade Attacks on opposition meeting in August 2004;
e. So called Uttara Conspiracy of some bureaucrats in 2006;
f. 1/11 and emergency;
g. BDR carnage in 2009;
h. Annulment of Caretaker system;
i. Gonojagoron moncho and Hefajot movements in 2013.
Those events are still vivid in peoples’ mind. Implications of these events are still ongoing among the people. And people of our country are sharply divided on these issues. With all these turmoils a free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections were not held in 2014 and 2018. A large number of young voters did not or could not exercise their voting rights for the situation prevailing in the time of elections held in 2014 and 2018. In 2014 election about 154 members were elected uncontested. But the section 65/2 of the constitution indicates that parliament members shall be elected by direct election. So in this point lawmakers should clarify the spirit of the section mentioned above as there lies no such provision of election uncontested.
Members elect unopposed may be technically correct. But it does not ensure the people’s approval and it must not be the mandate of the people. Few days back our CEC opined in a meeting with cross-section of people in the election commission that even one percent casting vote is enough to make an election legal. From a distinguished chair how come CEC made such statement is very much unfortunate. We all know general election is meant to get people’s approval. If people do not get chance to exercise their right, then what ethical strength lies in such statement given by CEC.
It is also the open secret that the election of 2018 was very much error-blasted and people in general could not exercise their rights for the situation prevailed during election in 2018 as it is widely believed that ballot boxes were stuffed with seal-ballot papers in the previous night of Election Day. So for the sake of democracy and development major political parties must come to a consensus regarding holding of forthcoming general election. So that general people of our country can exercise their democratic right. Otherwise anarchy and disorders are offing in the days to come.
(The writer is a former civil servant).
