A momentous day
This election is unique. Because the last election was largely uncontested, and it being the first participatory election in a decade, people are very keen to vote, as indicated by the fact that many have left the capital city for their respective constituencies. It's now up to the Election Commission and the law enforcing agencies to live up to the expectations of the people. May we remind them that in the end, it is the quality of the electoral environment, not just inclusiveness and competitiveness of the election, that will define its credibility.
For all their disagreements, both the ruling and opposition coalitions agree on one thing: the stakes are very high in this election. The ruling party contends that this election is about continuing the pace of development and stability. The party boasts a robust economy, better performance in several socio-economic sectors, infrastructure development and an undisputed record in combating militancy. The opposition, on the other hand, argues that this election is the last resort to halt the country's dangerous democratic backsliding.
Today, it is up to the people—the voters—to decide which argument is more convincing. However, we cannot ignore the fact that it was mostly opposition activists who faced an overwhelming extent of violence and were hit with a baffling number of cases, which is indicative of an uneven electoral field.
Many opposition candidates weren't able to campaign freely due to fear of arrest or attack. The widespread violence—while less lethal than previous elections—might act as a dampener.
The role of the Election Commission has been, to put it mildly, questionable. It hasn't taken any meaningful measures to address the concerns over a level playing field, or a lack thereof. The police, the role of which is crucial in ensuring fairness in the election, has not acted even-handedly either in dealing with the parties.
Moreover, the noticeably small number of domestic poll observers—one-eighth compared to the 2001 election—even as the number of polling stations has increased, and the increased restrictions on the media mean that the reporting of the conduct of the polls would be difficult.
And then, two political parties are urging their activists to "guard" the polling centres or "not to leave the stations before counting is completed." Such an aggressive and combative posture will only exacerbate the climate of fear, which has prevailed throughout the election season, contrary to the air of festivity that we usually witness.
These notwithstanding, we hope to see a peaceful election in which the people will be able to cast their ballots freely—free of fear, intimidation and coercion. Only if voters can exercise their franchise will our democracy be strengthened. Today is the opportunity for the EC to redeem itself and establish its credibility.
This election is going to be the first one presided by a partisan government, with the parliament remaining undissolved, and participated by all major parties. It is, therefore, an opportunity for the ruling party to prove that an election can be free and fair even under such a dispensation. If it can do this, the party will go down in history as the one that put to an end the notion that a partisan government can never hold a credible election in Bangladesh.
We earnestly hope that whichever party comes to power is fully committed to protecting our inalienable rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly. The people of this country are still waiting for a political environment in which the longstanding acrimony between parties is replaced by a culture of dialogue, keeping in mind, first and foremost, the best interests of the people who are the fundamental source of power in a democracy.
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