Credible poll now big challenge

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With a caretaker government working to prepare grounds for sustainable democracy through a fair election, political analysts feel that some recent developments appear to be major threats to holding a credible parliamentary election.

Irked by the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to invite only Saifur Rahman-led faction of BNP to an electoral reform talk, pro-Khaleda Zia faction of the party led by detained chairperson appointed General Secretary Khandaker Delwar Hossain, announced that it will not participate in the next parliamentary election under the incumbent EC.

Saifur-led faction is however ready to contest in the parliamentary election, which is supposed to be held by the year end according to the EC announced electoral roadmap the military backed caretaker government pledged to support all-out.

In a latest development, top Awami League (AL) leaders also started saying that they will also not contest in the poll without the release of their detained chief Sheikh Hasina, as grassroots level leaders and workers of the party have been putting pressure on them to launch a movement to free her.

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad however announced that his party will contest the election even if the two major parties, AL and BNP, boycott it.

If the next parliamentary election leaves room for its credibility to be questioned, the post election political scenario might turn volatile again, in which case, the post election code of conduct for politicos, even if formulated before then, might not work after all for restoring normalcy in the country’s political arena, the analysts predict.

“Credibility of the election will be questioned, if any major political party does not participate in it. So, the government should sincerely create an environment conducive to holding a free and fair poll with participation of all political parties,” former adviser to a caretaker government Maj Gen (retd) Moinul Hossain Chowdhury told The Daily Star.

The caretaker government wants to formulate the politicos’ code of conduct with consent of political parties through holding a planned national dialogue with them to move away from the culture of parliament boycotts, street agitations, and hartals, sources in the government said.

In the ongoing ‘unofficial talks’ with the political parties, the caretaker government advisers are seeking opinions of political leaders to ensure a jump-start of the journey to a sustainable democracy.

Meanwhile, the EC initiated moves for sweeping electoral reforms to keep the next parliamentary election free from influence of black money and muscle, so honest candidates may contest.

The analysts stress the need for holding a credible parliamentary election ensuring participation of all major political parties as the post election scenario largely depends on it.

A former adviser to President Iajuddin Ahmed-led caretaker government however said an environment conducive to all political parties’ participation in the election is yet to be on the horizon.

“The caretaker government will have to take fresh initiatives to ensure participation of all major political parties in the upcoming election,” the former adviser said asking not to be named.

Talking to The Daily Star, M Hafizuddin Khan, another former adviser to a caretaker government, said if any of the two major parties, AL or BNP, boycotts the next parliamentary election then the road to a sustainable democracy might become much bumpier than expected.

“The parliament can’t properly function in absence of a strong opposition party,” he observed.

Under the circumstances, the analysts suggest that both BNP factions resolve their differences for greater interest of the nation, thinking if a faction of BNP boycotts the election, the prevailing crisis might keep haunting the body politic of the country even after the poll.

Former adviser Hafizuddin however said he thinks an environment conducive to all parties’ participation in election prevails, excepting BNP of course. He said the government should keep trying to assist the BNP factions in resolving the differences between them.

The government’s moves to bring reforms to political parties however triggered an enormous controversy, as many political leaders and analysts accused it of working behind the scenes to bring splits in the parties instead.

In another development, the five advisers to the caretaker government who are engaged in ‘unofficial talks’ with the political parties, already talked to Saifur-led faction of BNP, while the EC also invited only Saifur loyalists of the party to sit with it today in an electoral reform dialogue.

In light of the latest developments, political analysts observe that a split in BNP has been formally recognised, giving rise to questions regarding the EC’s credibility in the process.

Saifur-led faction will be in a much better position for getting registered as BNP with the EC, and for being allowed to inherit the traditional BNP election symbol, a sheaf of paddy, once the electoral reform talk between the EC and the faction is held today.

And if it turns out to be so, pro-Khaleda faction of BNP will have to take a new name to get registered with the EC, which has been proposed to be made mandatory for a political party seeking to contest in the parliamentary election.

If the factions of BNP fail to reunite before getting registered with the EC, yet another volatile political situation might raise its ugly head when the EC will ask the parties to get registered for contesting in the poll.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain yesterday however told reporters that the EC believes there will be a lot of opportunities for the feuding BNP factions to reconcile ahead of the poll.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda on Monday however said reunification of BNP is a distant possibility. The commission decided to hold talks with only Saifur-led faction since its move to reunite the party had failed.

The latest developments in Awami League, the other major political party, shed some light on simmering unrest within it too, suggesting that it might face trouble in carrying out agitation programmes to free its detained chief Sheikh Hasina.

Referring to the current situation of the political parties, former adviser Moinul said there are signs of restlessness and discord within and among the parties. The government should help and assist them to reduce the discord instead of increasing it, to ensure law and order following possible withdrawal of the state of emergency, Moinul asserted.

Former CEC Justice Abdur Rouf said the prevailing situation has been manufactured and the people are very much conscious about it, they understand everything.

About the activities of the incumbent caretaker government and the EC, the former CEC said they do not have the jurisdiction to decide what kinds of people should be elected in the next poll.

“Let there be an election and let the people deliver their verdict. The people cast their votes quite consciously,” the former CEC told The Daily Star.

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