Bangladesh politics
A prelude to tomorrow
Sometimes, our lust for power brings hell to earth. We let the fire burn and kill humanity.
From one party to one person: What was de facto is now de jure
The most important outcome of this election is the emergence of Sheikh Hasina as the supreme leader of the country.
‘It is obvious that there will be no effective parliamentary opposition’
Advocate Sultana Kamal speaks with Eresh Omar Jamal of The Daily Star about Bangladesh’s 12th parliamentary election and its ramifications for the country’s political and governance landscapes.
‘All that matters to AL is acquiring power.’
This election will push the whole country towards further uncertainty and close the door to constructive politics in Bangladesh.
A ‘dummy-cratic’ election in democratic Bangladesh?
After the election is over, the meaning of democracy will change to mean coercion.
‘Why would Awami League need to resort to rigging in this scenario?’
Awami League has no incentive to rig the election, and doubting this suggests a lack of rationality.
‘I see no reason to call this an election.’
We already know that only a small group of experts will observe the election and that most major countries will not send their observers.
Politics must not be a means to wealth accumulation
TIB review of the affidavits of candidates paints a worrying picture of politics
Forced voting to fool the world?
It is clear why Awami League is so desperate to make January 7, 2024 look like a genuine competition, without any real competitors.
The attack on Hero Alom: A lost opportunity
Our failure to defend Hero Alom points only to our intellectual bankruptcy
Political tensions near a boiling point?
The two instances provide somewhat of an indication as to how the Election Commission will be handling voting in the 300 constituencies.
What message emanates from the attack on Hero Alom?
Hero Alom may have been ostracised by our political and cultural elites, but he has a huge fan base among the poor and working class.
Column by Mahfuz Anam: Need for a change in our political culture
BNP to some extent and AL to a far greater extent have changed Bangladesh. Can’t we expect them to change themselves, even a bit?
A Detriment to Democracy
The rigid positions of AL-BNP will only lengthen the political deadlock
A hazy pre-election atmosphere
Eid has always been a singular occasion for mass campaigns. Aspiring electoral candidates seize the opportunity to meet their voters in their constituencies amid festivities
An ex-MP’s abuse of power
How did he get away with it for so long?
How to explain Jamaat’s return to the political scene?
Jamaat-e-Islami, one of the largest fundamentalist parties in Bangladesh, was recently allowed to hold a public meeting in Dhaka after almost a decade.
Shouldn’t the EC be saying how it will make elections free and fair?
There’s no reason to believe the current EC has either the will or the ability to act independently
A step backward for democracy
Proposed curbing of EC’s power sends a wrong message at the wrong time
