With the January 5 general elections less than two weeks away, some of the country’s prominent citizens, on Saturday, said that the parliamentary polls should be postponed as the elections would have no credibility without the participation of all the political parties. Expressing grave concern over the current impasse, they said if the elections are held on schedule, the country would face dire consequences which may lead to the rise of extremist groups in the country. The citizens also stressed the need for taking an initiative to bring the two leaders of Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to the talks table, and reach a consensus to hold a free, fair and credible election.
The observation came at a discussion on ‘Bangladesh in Crisis: Citizen’s Concerns’, organised jointly by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Ain-o-Salish Kendra (ASK), Shushashoner Jonney Nagorik (Sujan), and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), at the Lakeshore Hotel in the city, with economist, Professor Rehman Sobhan, in the chair.
“The January 5 elections will not offer any useful solution. A solution has to be found before January 26, as the current Parliament will be dissolved on that day. An acceptable solution has to be found within this one month,” he added.
He also said if the elections are held on January 5, it will lead to a dangerous situation.
Rashed Khan Menon, post and telecommunications minister of the poll-time government, said, “Postponement of the elections can hardly solve the issue. The BNP has been asked several times to sit for talks, but they stayed away and have given the ultimatum to topple the government.”
About the BNP’s March for Democracy programme, he said, “They will come to Dhaka and repeat what the Hefazat-e-Islam did on May 5. I don’t think it will open the path for democracy. Does the BNP want an undemocratic system through this programme?”
However, Menon, also the president of the Workers’ Party of Bangladesh, said that the respect and honour do not come from people, if parliamentary representatives do not come through election contest.
BNP standing committee member, Lt-Gen. (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, said the elections are credible if all political parties contest the polls. “Already, 154 candidates have been elected unopposed. It is like depriving people from their voting rights. It’s a lopsided election which has no credibility. If necessary, we have to wage another war to save democracy,” he asserted.
BNP vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said the government should stop the ‘so-called’ and ‘farcical’ election, and arrange a free, fair and acceptable poll, where all the parties would take part. “The constitution is made by humans. It is not a scripture that can’t be amended. The government should take the initiatives for the sake of democracy,” he added.
“The political crisis is man-made. It is not a natural crisis like a tsunami. This crisis can be solved and we are ready to hold talks but the elections have to be postponed first,” he added.
Barrister Rafique-ul Huq said, “There is no scope to cancel the election constitutionally, but, if the two leaders want, they can prolong the election period for 90 days, through a mutual understanding.”
Barrister Moinul Ahmed said the elections in 2014 will be like the elections held in 1996, in which, the Awami League did not participate, and which led to violence.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party chairman Andalib Rahman Partho said the politicians should place their affidavits with an undertaking that they would not involve in any business when they are elected. “The current crisis won’t be resolved in a day. Rule of law and participation of promising young leaders are extremely necessary in politics, to bring about a change in the political arena,” he added.
Prof. Abdullah Abu Syed said the government has established an autocratic democracy in the country.
-With The Independent input
