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ROME, Jan 22 (IPS) – The parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh on 7 January, 2024, has created a lot controversy within the nation, terming it an “election of the Awami League (AL) authorities, for the AL authorities and by the AL authorities”, by many. Internationally, China and India have congratulated the federal government for victory and group of a good election. However, a number of western international locations have termed it as unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, no matter the various views, everybody agrees that it was not participatory elections. Voter prove was considerably low and it was boycotted by the principle opposition Bangladesh Nationwide Social gathering (BNP).
Previous to the election, the USA and a number of other western international locations indicated that failure to carry honest and free election can have penalties. Because of this, Bangladesh’s coverage analysts are involved and discussing the seemingly implications of the election on the economic system and specifically the garment trade.
Whereas worldwide push again are authentic considerations, what’s extra worrisome is that Bangladesh could also be unwittingly sleep strolling to dictatorship beneath one celebration rule. A number of commentators are suggesting that Sheikh Hasina is turning into an authoritarian ruler from being a champion of democracy and the AL is projecting itself as the only guarantor of independence, sovereignty and secularism. Everybody else is on the market to show it right into a sizzling mattress of Islamic extremism. Such rationales alluding to ethical proper to rule are excellent substances for sleepwalking into dictatorship.
The one-party dictatorships are usually extra secure and perverse and the elections legitimizes one celebration dictatorship by presenting a picture of democracy.
Historical past teaches us that one celebration rule or dictatorship goes in opposition to the essential basis of Bengali values. Nevertheless, profitable strikes to cease it may possibly solely be launched by understanding why and the way it’s rising.
Democracy in Bangladesh
Bangladesh initiated non-party caretaker authorities (CGT) system for working elections as per demand of the AL in 1991. By all accounts the 1991 election was honest and the CGT labored satisfactorily to carry common elections additionally in 1996 and 2001. Curiously, in 1991 the BNP gained and in 1996 the AL gained and in 2001 the BNP gained once more.
What went improper thereafter ? The system ran into difficulties in 2006 as a consequence of BNP’s refusal to observe the principles governing the CTG . This led to political disaster of 2006-2008 and introduced the navy into energy. Nevertheless, a good election was lastly held in 2008 and the AL achieved overwhelming victory. Since then, the AL began getting emboldened and in 2011 it abolished the CTG system. Consequently, BNP launched motion to revive the CTG and began refusing to take part in elections until it’s finished. The AL is adamantly refusing to reintroduce CTG, saying it’s unconstitutional.
Due to this fact, it will appear that the core problem going through our democratic system is two-fold: how one can persuade AL to introduce the CTG? or how one can persuade BNP to take part in elections beneath the ruling authorities? These challenges could seem simply resolvable by dialogue. Sadly, the 2 events are mired in deep animosity. For AL, the founding father of BNP is linked to the merciless homicide of the founding father of Bangladesh and his household and the present chief of BNP is accused of grasp minding the grenade assault on a AL rally on 21 August 2004, killing 24 individuals and injuring about 200. For the BNP, it has zero belief in AL and considers ditching of the present celebration chief, Begum Khaleda Zia – with the identify Zia, as its existential risk.
Can the civil society or the worldwide neighborhood mediate an answer ? Sadly, civil society is fragmented alongside celebration traces and partly misplaced its neutrality in the course of the 2006-2008 disaster, when some elements stepped into politics. The worldwide neighborhood can also be divided between the East and the West and a overwhelming majority within the nation believes that their name for democracy is motivated by geo-political pursuits.
Who will blink first ?
Judging from the previous, neither is probably going to offer in beneath the current management. Therefore, to avoid wasting democracy in Bangladesh, everybody involved wants to return out of hybernation and construct a nationwide consensus. BNP management should reply for the accusations and face the results. Its stalwart leaders ought to be certain that, as an alternative of slavish subordination. The civil society ought to shade political colour and affect of the ‘funders’, and the worldwide neighborhood ought to settle for native dynamics and realities. If all involved fail to place the nation first it won’t bode properly for democracy in Bangladesh.
The Bengali individuals will certainly rise in opposition to one celebration rule. Success of insurrection will probably be formed by the management it fosters. Any management tainted by legal accusations and historic misdeeds will fail to acquire broad-based assist. Folks could give the ‘advantage of doubt’ to civil crimes, however could not for legal crimes, even when portrayed as ‘politically motivated’. Partisan assist alone can’t deliver down a one celebration dictatorship. A broad-based nationwide motion is important. It can’t occur beneath management tainted by legal accusations. For a democratic Bangladesh, the nation wants an opposition led by people who find themselves not and can’t be tainted by legal accusations and provide AL the ethical excessive floor by default.
The writer is a former UN official who was Chief of Coverage Help Department for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Meals and Agriculture Group of the United Nations (FAO).
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