Unpredictability of ninth Jatiya Sangsad election
Monday, 29 December 2008
Shamsul Huq Zahid
The nation goes to polls today (Monday) to elect the country's ninth parliament. This election is altogether different in content and character from the ones held since independence of the country in 1971.
There were lots of uncertainties and confusions over the polls. Though government leaders insisted that elections would be held on time, some sceptics had strong doubts about such a possibility even until a couple of days back. But, finally, they have been proved wrong.
Yet it will be unfair to blame one for being a sceptic since the events preceding this election had enough fuels to ignite doubts and confusions in the minds of the people. Honestly speaking, today's election should be considered a miracle if one makes an assessment of the events that had happened during last two years. It has cost enough of sacrifices by both the political parties and the incumbent caretaker government.
The government has eaten up many of its words, made retreat from its firm convictions and taken an open arm policy in the face of domestic as well as external pressure to hold a credible and participatory election within its declared timeframe. The caretaker administration that soon after its taking over power made anti-graft drive as one of its major goals has faced lots of criticism for making 'compromise' with political parties on corruption issue with a view to holding an election participated by all major political parties.
The two major political parties -- the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League (AL), and their top and mid-level leaders, rightly or wrongly, were accused of corruption and other wrongdoings by the caretaker administration. Some top leaders, including Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, were put behind the bar. Allegedly, there were attempts to free the national politics from influence of these two leading ladies. However, finally, two popular leaders have survived all the onslaughts and again are leading their parties in a unique and highly unpredictable election battle.
This election is unique not in the sense that the major parties are taking part in election under the leadership of two 'Begums' by overcoming all the odds. The political parties, which, until recently, ignored electoral rules and regulations, for the first time, are playing the election game according to the rules of the Representation of the People Order (RPO). For the first time in two decades, candidates have refrained themselves from using coloured posters, writing on the walls and erecting arches. However, none can be sure about the polls expenditures of the candidates since there is no way of monitoring actual expenses. But on the average the polls expenses this year would be far less than the previous ones because of the time constraints and EC restrictions.
After initial reluctance, all the parties have got themselves registered with the Election Commission (EC). The parties accepted without protest the decisions of the EC on polls candidature. However, some candidates went to the higher court against the EC verdict and succeeded in getting back their candidature.
This election is unique in the sense that all the parties, for the first time in the history of Bangladesh, are trying to follow the electoral code of conduct that has been made rather stringent.
This election is unique because the EC by engaging the members of the armed forces has prepared an almost flawless voters' list, eliminating nearly 1.24 ghost voters from the previous list. About 25 per cent of the voters are young and will be exercising their right to franchise for the first time. These voters are expected to be a major factor in determining the fate of the two major political alliances vying for power in today's election.
This election is unique because the EC has introduced the scope for expressing 'no-confidence' in all the candidates contesting in a particular constituency by stamping the seal on 'No' section of the ballot paper.
This election is unique because it is being held after an extended tenure -- two years -- of a caretaker government that ruled the country imposing emergency and curbing fundamental rights of the people. Never before, a caretaker government held the rein of the administration for more than constitutionally mandated time of 90 days.
This election is unique because it is for the first time, the heads of two major political parties, because of a short period available for electioneering, had to cover most of the districts in whirlwind tours. Khaleda Zia was ahead in this respect. She campaigned day in, day out to cover most districts.
As the curtain fell on electioneering on the midnight of last Saturday, the people are now thinking loudly over the possible winner in the tomorrow's all important polls. This election, by all considerations, is different from the previous ones. So, making predictions should not be that easy. Except for the staunch supporters of the two major political alliances, who, obviously, have figured out the winner in the meanwhile, it will be really hard for dispassionate observers to predict a winner this time. But it can be safely said the election would be a hard fought one.
The nation goes to polls today (Monday) to elect the country's ninth parliament. This election is altogether different in content and character from the ones held since independence of the country in 1971.
There were lots of uncertainties and confusions over the polls. Though government leaders insisted that elections would be held on time, some sceptics had strong doubts about such a possibility even until a couple of days back. But, finally, they have been proved wrong.
Yet it will be unfair to blame one for being a sceptic since the events preceding this election had enough fuels to ignite doubts and confusions in the minds of the people. Honestly speaking, today's election should be considered a miracle if one makes an assessment of the events that had happened during last two years. It has cost enough of sacrifices by both the political parties and the incumbent caretaker government.
The government has eaten up many of its words, made retreat from its firm convictions and taken an open arm policy in the face of domestic as well as external pressure to hold a credible and participatory election within its declared timeframe. The caretaker administration that soon after its taking over power made anti-graft drive as one of its major goals has faced lots of criticism for making 'compromise' with political parties on corruption issue with a view to holding an election participated by all major political parties.
The two major political parties -- the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League (AL), and their top and mid-level leaders, rightly or wrongly, were accused of corruption and other wrongdoings by the caretaker administration. Some top leaders, including Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, were put behind the bar. Allegedly, there were attempts to free the national politics from influence of these two leading ladies. However, finally, two popular leaders have survived all the onslaughts and again are leading their parties in a unique and highly unpredictable election battle.
This election is unique not in the sense that the major parties are taking part in election under the leadership of two 'Begums' by overcoming all the odds. The political parties, which, until recently, ignored electoral rules and regulations, for the first time, are playing the election game according to the rules of the Representation of the People Order (RPO). For the first time in two decades, candidates have refrained themselves from using coloured posters, writing on the walls and erecting arches. However, none can be sure about the polls expenditures of the candidates since there is no way of monitoring actual expenses. But on the average the polls expenses this year would be far less than the previous ones because of the time constraints and EC restrictions.
After initial reluctance, all the parties have got themselves registered with the Election Commission (EC). The parties accepted without protest the decisions of the EC on polls candidature. However, some candidates went to the higher court against the EC verdict and succeeded in getting back their candidature.
This election is unique in the sense that all the parties, for the first time in the history of Bangladesh, are trying to follow the electoral code of conduct that has been made rather stringent.
This election is unique because the EC by engaging the members of the armed forces has prepared an almost flawless voters' list, eliminating nearly 1.24 ghost voters from the previous list. About 25 per cent of the voters are young and will be exercising their right to franchise for the first time. These voters are expected to be a major factor in determining the fate of the two major political alliances vying for power in today's election.
This election is unique because the EC has introduced the scope for expressing 'no-confidence' in all the candidates contesting in a particular constituency by stamping the seal on 'No' section of the ballot paper.
This election is unique because it is being held after an extended tenure -- two years -- of a caretaker government that ruled the country imposing emergency and curbing fundamental rights of the people. Never before, a caretaker government held the rein of the administration for more than constitutionally mandated time of 90 days.
This election is unique because it is for the first time, the heads of two major political parties, because of a short period available for electioneering, had to cover most of the districts in whirlwind tours. Khaleda Zia was ahead in this respect. She campaigned day in, day out to cover most districts.
As the curtain fell on electioneering on the midnight of last Saturday, the people are now thinking loudly over the possible winner in the tomorrow's all important polls. This election, by all considerations, is different from the previous ones. So, making predictions should not be that easy. Except for the staunch supporters of the two major political alliances, who, obviously, have figured out the winner in the meanwhile, it will be really hard for dispassionate observers to predict a winner this time. But it can be safely said the election would be a hard fought one.