Bangladesh national poll: Will it be free, fair and acceptable?

No doubt! Bangladesh is a democratic country. It is also a Muslim majority country of South Asian region. More than 90% people of this country are Muslims.

As a democratic country, the people of this country exercise democracy. Every five years, the people of Bangladesh can elect  their leader, their representatives to the Assembly named “Jatiyo Sansad”  by national general election. But the last two elections were not free, fair and credible as the opposition claimed. It was like a selection. Because in 2014 majority of the members of the parliament were elected without vote. That means there are a total of 300 seats in the parliament among which 154 members of the Parliament were elected without vote of the people, as the main opposition and their alliances boycotted the election. According to them to be a free, fair and credible election, it should be arranged by the neutral caretaker government, not under the ruling party. 

But the current government did not pay any heed to the opposition's demand. As a result, the opposition and their alliances boycotted the 2014 election. Then current ruling party formed the government.

In 2018, it was very unexpected that there is an allegation of vote robbery against the ruling party. Because the opposition alleged that the ruling party did very unfair deed in election. It is alleged thats the party men casted vote before election at night in a very unfair and illegal way.

As a result the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and their alliance demanded a neutral caretaker government for free, fair and acceptable election in Bangladesh.

On the other hand the present ruling party Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) wants to arrange election under the present government. This is the main conflict between the ruling party and the opposition.

BNP has been continuing their demonstration demanding neutral caretaker government since 2014. According to the party, the free, fair, credible and accepted to all election is not going to be held and won’t be possible to hold under the ruling government. So neutral caretaker government in election time is  their demand. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir frequently raises their demand in different programmes. Recently he urged that there would be no compromise in the question of neutral government.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, an alliance of BNP and also a big Islamic party of Bangladesh also demonstrated a rally on June 11, 2023 after 10 years. They also demanded neutral caretaker government.

Denying all allegations, the ruling party Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) wants to arrange the next national election under present government. The leaders of the Bangladesh Awami League frequently said that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be held in due time under the present government, as per the constitution.

What is caretaker government :
According to Wikipedia, A caretaker government is a temporary ad hoc government that performs some governmental duties and functions in a country until a regular government is elected or formed.
It was headed by a Chief Adviser who enjoyed the same power as the regular prime minister of the country except in defence matters. The advisers functioned as ministers. Since 1996, a Caretaker government managed the elections and transitions of 1996, 2001 and 2008.

Abolishment of caretaker government:
In 2011 the Bangladesh Awami League led government abolished the caretaker government through the 15th amendment of the constitution.
Opposition parties, including the BNP, have protested of the amendment. People are worried about next elections since the caretaker government was abolished.

What to be next?
The next national general election will be held on December 2023 or January 2024. But there is an uncertainty whether it will be free, fair and participatory or not. Whether all party will participate or not, we have to wait till then.

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