Bangladesh News

The credibility of the upcoming polls will be questioned both at home and abroad, if it is held without the participation of all the major political parties, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of European Commission to Bangladesh Dr Stefan Frowein said yesterday.

At a separate function, Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Barbara Richardson stated the same view yesterday adding that the Canadian government is concerned over the current political situation in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, a team of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday told BNP leaders that the upcoming general elections will not be acceptable to the international community if all major political parties do not participate in it.

At a meeting with the BNP leaders, the UNDP team members also gave hints that they have no interest in monitoring a one-sided election, sources said.

EU ENVOY
EC Delegation Chief Dr Frowein said the European Union (EU) is re-assessing the operations of its election mission to Bangladesh in light of the recent developments, but will monitor the situation closely.

He was speaking as the special guest at the inaugural session of a three-day conference on ‘Transparency in the Election Process’ organised by Odhikar at Spectra Convention Centre in the capital.

European Public Law Center (EPLC), Organisation of Development Program for the Under Privileged (ODPUP) and Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) co-organised the conference financed by the EC Delegation to Bangladesh.

Expressing concern over the consequences of the present political crisis, Dr Frowein observed that it is more important than ever for the civil society to play an active role to search for a national solution that commands agreement of people.

The situation must impel all stakeholders in the election process to examine their conscience and to pursue constructive avenues of compromise, which will allow the voices of all Bangladeshi voters to be heard at the polls, he added.

Speaking as the chief guest, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Justice Sultan Hossain Khan, however, put emphasis on holding the election within the 90-day timeframe of the caretaker government, as it is mandatory in the constitution. The Supreme Court will also not go beyond the constitution to extend this time, he expressed his belief.

“Just because all the major political parties are not contesting, nobody can term the January 22 election as ‘illegal’ or say that it will not be acceptable,” Khan said adding that if turnout of the voters is 50 to 60 percent, it will be an acceptable election.

The election observers should not see if the election is acceptable or not, rather monitor if it is transparent, the ACC chief observed. It is the citizens’ right to exercise voting power by not being intimidated by any political parties, he added.

Taking part in the discussion following the inaugural session, Maj Gen (retd) Moinul Hossain Chowdhury expressed his frustrations over the present political crisis saying that the extension of the 90-day period for holding election will also not bring a good solution.

Democracy in the country would never be established unless the political parties practice it within themselves, he observed.

The daily Shamokal Editor Abed Khan said the problem that could be solved within a day, could not be solved just for the partisan character of the President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed.

“Instead of light, he [chief adviser] gifted the nation darkness,” Abed Khan said observing that the scheduled election might be held, a government might be formed and another election might be held 90 or 180 days from the January 22. “But question remains if the future of the parliamentary system of democracy will exist by that time,” he said.

The common people will be cheated and they will get into conflicts leading to a disaster and total uncertainty of the nation, Abed Khan added.

EPLC election experts Charlemagne Sophia Gomez and Marco Sioli, SEHD Executive Director Philip Gain, Dhaka University Professor Dr Asif Nazrul, Maj Gen (retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim and Fair Election Monitoring Alliance President Munira Khan spoke in the sessions moderated by columnist Farhad Mazhar.

UNDP-BNP LEADERS’ MEETING
Kundan Shrestha and Christian Boswell, international election experts of UNDP, held the meeting with BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan, former adviser to foreign ministry Riaz Rahman, former state minister Mir Nasiruddin, and former Privatisation Commission chairman Enam Ahmed Chowdhury at the BNP’s election conducting office at Banani.

However, none of the foreign delegates and political leaders agreed to disclose to reporters the agenda of their meeting that lasted over an hour from 1:45pm.

Nazrul Islam only told reporters, “We discussed issues relating to the upcoming election and we promised not to disclose the meeting agenda.”

Meeting sources said the BNP leaders told the UNDP delegation that there is no alternative to holding the election within the stipulated 90-day period from handing over power.

They also said people will take part in the January 22 election–despite the boycott by the Awami League-led grand alliance–as many other political parties will take part in the election.

The BNP leaders said they can take fresh initiative for resolving the political crisis and holding another election after the January 22 poll.

Sources said the UNDP experts told the BNP leaders that they want to see an election participated by all major political parties for smooth continuity of democracy.