Speakers at a workshop have stressed the need for focusing on accountability and holding fair elections to ensure a genuine democratic process in the country, reports UNB.
They made the call while speaking at a workshop titled 'Free and Fair Election' organised by Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in the capital on Saturday, as part of its ongoing initiative to encourage ideological dialogue and democratic practices among young politicians.
Executive Director of CGS Parvez Karim Abbasi and Programme Adviser of FES Bangladesh Sadhan Kumar Das also spoke at the event.
Turning to DUCSU, CGS President Zillur Rahman said DUCSU represents a glorious chapter in Bangladesh history, noting that students have always played an anti-establishment role, which is why the nation has always relied on it.
"But the government has never spontaneously held DUCSU elections. The main reason is partisan politics. The last DUCSU election was the weakest and most shameful one," he said.
Zillur said he believes that the upcoming national election is also unlikely to be free and fair. "I do not consider the current government to be neutral. To ensure neutrality, it is necessary to establish the rule of law and accountability, and elections are indispensable for returning to the democratic process," he said.
Parvez Karim Abbasi said accountability must be ensured to reflect the aspirations of the people.
"In Bangladesh's history, even before it became an independent state, the country's major upheavals have often revolved around elections. The central criticism of fascist rule has also been the question of elections. The main aim of today's workshop is to broaden participants' knowledge about the steps needed to organise a free, fair, and impartial election," he said.
Sadhan Kumar Das said a government formed through free, fair and impartial elections is essential to consolidate all elements of the democratic process. "In the run-up to the upcoming election, today's workshop is particularly significant."
