Democracy perverted

On this day a year ago, people trying to foil the polls torched books and furniture of a kindergarten in Feni. Photo: File

The polling on January 5 appeared only a formality.

A boycott by the BNP-led alliance made it certain for the ruling Awami League to retain power by winning the one-sided election. And it was made all too easy.

Before a single vote was cast, the AL bagged 127 of the 153 parliamentary seats that went uncontested. It needed just 24 more seats to get the magic number to form government. Against such a modest requirement, the party picked 105 more seats in the polling, securing three-fourths majority on its own. 

Such an unprecedented election gave birth to even more unprecedented events. The 10th parliament was formed even as the previous ninth parliament was still in existence. Ershad's Jatiya Party was made the main opposition, but some of its MPs joined the cabinet as well.

Raushan Ershad was recognised by the Speaker as the leader of the opposition though Khaleda Zia was still holding office as the ninth parliament had not yet been dissolved. Ershad, chief of the main opposition party, was made special envoy of the prime minister with the status of a minister.

Thus, a “new model” of parliamentary democracy was set up in Bangladesh.

The model has already proved ineffectual. The opposition MPs have been overenthusiastic about maintaining good relations with the government and have not held the executive branch accountable for its activities. The parliament for its part has turned into a one-sided body. The result: There is no check and balance in the state power.

But all this did not happen overnight. The cancellation of the nonparty caretaker government system in June 2011 through constitutional amendment was at the root of this one-sided election.

This constitutional change allowed the AL to stay in power during the polls. Aggrieved and unhappy, the BNP-led alliance decried the amendment and refused to participate in the polls unless the caretaker system was restored. This was only the beginning of a political stalemate that still persists and threatens unrest and street violence.

Soon after the amendment, the BNP-led alliance took to the streets in its effort to force the government to yield to its demand.

But the government would not bow down. Top AL leaders and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made it clear that the government would not restore the caretaker system. Moreover, instead of taking steps to break the deadlock, it foiled the opposition's street agitations by using police force and the legal system, filing dozens of cases against the opposition leaders and activists.

The crisis deepened in 2013 with both sides flexing their muscles. The violence turned ugly and deadly.

The United Nations and foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka made abortive attempts to bring the two sides together for talks. Senior government officials of some foreign countries, including the US, came to Dhaka to broker a deal. But in vain; neither side would compromise.

Amid this, the government went ahead with the polls plan. The PM formed an election-time cabinet at the end of November last year. In this, she banked on the Jatiya Party and inducted seven of its MPs into her polls-time cabinet.

As the country headed for the one-sided election, some civil society members met President Abdul Hamid and requested him to ensure participation of all parties in the polls. BNP chief Khaleda Zia and the Election Commission also met the president separately to make the same request, but the president did not take any step.

In a last-ditch effort, the UN secretary general sent his special envoy, Oscar Fernández Taranco, to Dhaka in early December to mediate talks between the parties. He succeeded in bringing the two sides to the discussion table, but the talks failed as both sides were rigid on their stance.

Then, in the run up to the polls, the JP staged a drama. Its chief Ershad suddenly announced that there was no atmosphere for fair polls and his party would not participate in it. The former military chief announced that his party MPs would resign from the cabinet and his party candidates would withdraw their nomination papers to quit the polls.

His announcement was not welcomed even by his own party, however. Blessed by the government, some senior JP leaders, led by Ershad's wife Raushan Ershad, revolted against Ershad and declined to quit the electoral race. 

Ershad was picked by an intelligence agency from his residence and forcibly admitted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka cantonment to stop him from talking to the media.

In the meantime, some JP candidates withdrew their candidacies following Ershad's announcement. But Ershad was not allowed to pull out. The JP drama exposed the government's desperation to hold the polls.

The voting day came and it turned out to be the deadliest polling day in the country. Naturally, voter turnout was low.

(Part-II on AL's election strategy tomorrow.)