Call for change in the air

This alley in Madhubagh in the capital is decorated with posters of candidates running for the constituency in today's parliamentary polls. The photo was taken yesterday.
Photo: STAR

Political parties get locked in a battle for ballots today as the nation throbs at the prospect of a peaceful transition to democracy.
The contest this time will be confined mainly to two coalitions led by Awami League and BNP.
While 'change' was the central plank of electioneering by the AL-led grand alliance, the BNP-led four-party combine's campaign was run on the slogan 'save country, save people'.
The long wait of the public for an election to herald a change in the hostile political culture now comes down to how things pan out today.
Amid a growing political turmoil in January last year, the ninth parliamentary election then slated for January 22 was postponed and a state of emergency decreed.
Besides, the Election Commission (EC) was reconstituted with the aim of bringing about much-needed electoral reforms.
A set of new provisions, introduction of a voter roll with photographs and transparent ballot boxes--all reflect the commission's efforts towards a credible election.
The voters in this election will be able to register no-vote provided they find no candidates eligible to represent them. And if no-votes account for 50 percent or more of the ballot in a given constituency, the election there will be rerun.
Even after EC endeavours, people with dubious past are in the race thanks to court orders and some loopholes in the laws. However, the good news is that a significant number of fresh face and women are seeking election to parliament.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda in an address to the nation last night called on everyone to come out and cast vote.
He said, “Let's turn to our conscience and reasoning to choose representatives for a parliament that can realise our long-cherished dreams.”
Earlier in the day, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told reporters that the EC would take stern actions against troublemakers.
This is the first time the national election is being held in the month of victory.
As many as 35,263 polling stations are all set for 8.10 crore people to exercise voting rights in around seven years.
Polling opens at 8:00am to continue till 4:00pm without break. The caretaker government has declared the day a public holiday.
Of the voters, 4.12 crore are female and 3.98 crore male. The number of fresh entrants on the electoral roll is over 1 crore.
Thirty-eight registered political parties are running for 299 out of 300 seats. Election to the other constituency, Noakhali-1, was rescheduled for January 12 after grand alliance candidate and Gonotantri Party leader Nurul Islam died on December 4.
The number of candidates is 1,555. Of them, 148 are independent and 60 women.
Contestants on the grand alliance ticket stand at 270 and the four-party at 266. Twenty-nine candidates including AL President Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad are contesting more than one seat.
Over 2 lakh local observers and 700 foreign observers are monitoring the polls.
The EC has made all-out preparation to ensure free and fair conduct of the polls. It has employed 5,67,094 polling staff to get the job done.
Around 6 lakh members of law enforcement agencies and the armed forces have been deployed to effect foolproof security.
In the wake of repeated calls from the political parties and rights organisations, the caretaker government lately lifted the state of emergency, reinstating civil liberties and allowing free rein in electioneering.
The days following the proclamation of emergency on January 11, 2007 were full of actions unthinkable up until then. Happenings in the political sphere were splashed across the front pages of the newspapers.
During the time, two former prime ministers along with their many party colleagues were detained for about a year on graft charges.
AL and BNP faced immense pressure to be reformed while a 'minus-two' formula to dispense with Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia being at their helm failed to gain ground.
Eventually, the two were let out to lead their parties to the polls.
Khaleda-led BNP teamed up with Jamaat-e-Islami and two other parties won the 2001 election by a landslide. Hasina's AL fought that election on its own.
Though the gap between the number of seats won by BNP-led alliance and AL in 2001 election was huge, that in the number of votes they obtained was slim. BNP polled 40.97 percent of the ballot, AL 40.13 and Jatiya Party 7.25 percent.
As alliance partners of BNP, Jamaat got 4.28 percent, Bangladesh Jatiya Party 1.12 and Islami Oikya Jote 0.68 percent.