The people of Bangladesh are deeply concerned that Awami League cannot live with idea of free and fair election. For election rigging, the party in power has developed a well-entrenched mechanism that cannot fail. Previously, on the basis of an all-party decision the provision for non-party caretaker government was added to our Constitution.
Later the government got a wiser scheme from somewhere and Awami League government amended the Constitution unilaterally to hold on to power during the election time so that the government officials can be used for stealing the forthcoming parliamentary election. To be doubly sure that the government officials behave as asked, the Awami League government shall continue in power till end of three months after election. In other words, if some miracle happens and the opposition wins the election then also power will not be transferred immediately.
This kind of peculiar and arrogant constitutional amendment denying the people their sovereign democratic right to decide who will be their government is to be seen as shameless.
However, within a short span of time recently, the nation witnessed two occasions when supporters of Awami League candidates beat mercilessly the opposition candidates. In both cases, AL candidates felt threatened to lose in the election and their supporters pounded upon them in the most defiant manner.
First, it was in Barishal mayoral polls when the rowdy elements of AL beat Mr. Faizul Karim, the revered Charmonai Pir, who was on the election day visiting different centres for observing voting process as a mayoral candidate.
Again when Dhaka 17 by-election was being held, an independent candidate, Hero Alom, was so ruthlessly attacked that he was hospitalised for treatment.
For the government there is no need for violence to get its candidates win. The rigging of election is done with the help of government officials. What happens at poll-centres is not relevant. Yet they do it to send the message of terror to all those who are not with the government. The activities of the young ones were what their elders expected them to do.
We can only say that we are witnessing the rise of fascism as against democracy.
The government is making it clear that it has no time for taking into account the consequences for the country if the good relationship that exists between Bangladesh and the USA is strained.
They amended the constitutional provision for the caretaker government for holding the election keeping themselves in power. Anybody will find such an arrangement as complete denial of free election.
The Awami League won the two previous parliamentary elections by rigging. In winning the second one, the help of the police was visible to the people.
This time the people are furious against the government’s massive corruption and abuse of power. Now the government talks about the constitutional sanctity. For the fear of secret killing and forced disappearance all the democratic institutions are surviving as suspended animation. The people have no remedy against the wrongs they suffer. The people are in utter helplessness.
There is bound to be the people’s resistance and this is known to the government. There is dissension among the government officials also. But the government has to fight for their dream of remaining in power for life and enjoying opulent lifestyle forgetting that the politicians are to serve the people selflessly. The government has no political leadership to face things politically.
We cannot wait to see the massacre to happen. We do not see any sanity in a violent and unreasonable confrontation between the people and the government. The fight comes to the greedy ones in power in not to give up power for the luxurious lifestyle they enjoyed for too long a time. A true politician serves the people selflessly. The fight is against the people, against all of us.
