The coming year will witness national elections in three countries which were incidentally one nation, prior to its independence in 1947. Now defined as three sovereign nations namely Bharat, Pakistan and Bangladesh are approaching their Parliamentary elections early next year. It’s presumed that the post-poll scenario will grossly impact the entire south Asian scenario for security, tourism and trades. While Bharat is destined to have a democratically elected government in New Delhi, speculations are floated if its two neighbours slip into the hands of dictators after the chaotic elections, as both Islamabad and Dhaka had witnessed military coups from time to time.
As Bangladesh goes to general elections in January 2024, the ruling party (Awami League) will seek the mandate from nearly 120 million voters for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s fourth consecutive term in office. Prime opposition party of the poverty-stricken country, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) today faces a difficult situation as its uncontested leader Begum Khaleda Zia (77) continues to be unwell and its acting chairperson Tarque Rahman is exiled in London since 2008. But a recent demonstration by thousands of BNP supporters in Dhaka demanding the resignation of PM Hasina for a free & fair election drew the attention of international media.
No doubt, BNP and its allies particularly Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist groups will not sit ideally in favour of the incumbent PM. They will go for more street protests across the country in the coming days and many demonstrators may adopt violent means for national and international media attention. Even the turmoil can continue in the post-poll scenario, if the opposition alliance does not participate in the elections. The intense and uninterrupted political chaos may also invite the ‘men in uniform’ to step into the political space and finally another dictator can emerge in Dhaka, as Bangladesh has a history of military interventions in politics.
Over the years, the USA along with many western nations have repeatedly urged PM Hasina to hold the elections in a transparent way where all opposition parties can participate and the electors can vote freely. Days back, the USA and UK diplomats met the Bangladesh chief election commissioner and other officials to enquire about the poll preparations. European Union leaders are planning to send election observers to Bangladesh, which is welcomed by the AL government arguing that its Election Commission is capable enough to run the exercise honestly and independently.
The open letter by eminent personalities including Ban Ki-moon (former UN secretary general), Barack H. Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton (former US President and secretary of State respectively), Shirin Ebadi, Orhan Pamuk with hundred other Nobel laureates, Narayana Murthy (founder, Infosys), etc also urged PM Hasina to suspend all legal proceedings against Professor Muhammad Yunus (83), the one and only Nobel laureate of Bangladesh. Commanding on the laudable progress made by Bangladesh in various sectors like education, health, poverty alleviation, women empowerment, etc since its independence in 1971, they however expressed concern over the deteriorating scenario for human rights and media freedom.
Recently, the United Nations human rights office also issued a statement supporting Prof Yunus, who is globally recognised as an economist teacher turned a revolutionary baker turned a unique social business entrepreneur, and currently facing a number of legal complaints in his home country.
Terming that the revolutionary thinker has been put to harassment and intimidation for almost a decade, the statement added, “We are concerned that smear campaigns against him (Prof Yunus), often emanating from the highest levels of government, risk undermining his right to a fair trial and due process in line with international standards.” It also pursued many other human rights defenders in Bangladesh who have been facing continued harassment and detention from the authorities.
The article appeared in the Northeast News