BANGLADESH : Government firm to hold local poll first

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh expressed their reaction that they are facing few difficulties in performing their duties due to the shortage of manpower of their won. But EC is also preparing for City Corporation Election in Dhaka, the Capital City, and in 430 Upazila (sub district) out of 482 in October next. On the other hand political parties are a little bit rigid about their stands on withdrawal of State of Emergency before any other elections. However the military backed interim government is firm about holding Upazila election on October 2008.

In this point of time, Bangladesh Awami League (AL) said that they are intending to sit with the government to discuss on the issues like state of emergency, Upazila Election, Parliamentary Election, registration of political parties under proposed to amend Representation of Peoples Order (RPO) and the on going legal process pending in the courts against party leaders including President Sheik Hasina, who is in parole now. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), another major political party that yet unwilling to come in to Government-Politician Dialog and any kind of election before the release of their Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her elder son Tareque Rahman, who are in detention for graft charges.

AL as a party, with their 14-party alliance, is in a position to combat any election combat that already been proven in the recent local body election where AL bagged all four city corporations and 8 of 9 municipality mayoral posts. The result of this election, which was also a test case of EC, influenced on the parties, especially AL and the government and of course EC.

AL, in view of the experience of recent election, acquired the confidence that people support are for them. If AL some how able to manage intra-party conflict, would be a gainer in next local body poll i.e. the Upazila election. Moreover Upazila election will provide a tool to the central leadership to handle the conflict among local leaders. AL leadership thought that if the party joins in the local body poll, pressure on internal candidature for Parliamentary Election must be minimized; because most of the local leaders would be satisfied by Upazila election involvement. This will also provide a chance to AL leadership selecting quality candidates for parliamentary race. But there are some political issues, for AL, should be resolve for political gain in future. That is why this party, which is the umbrella for the progressives of Bangladesh, intending to sit again with the government that is appreciated by all walks of people.

BNP, the umbrella of rightists and fundamentalists, was confused about recent local body poll. Centrally they were in a position that the party and its alliance boycotted the election. But locally they were involved in the election campaign. Finally the result of the election was also gone against them.

In this consideration, BNP leaders are in a thought that if Khaleda Zia and Tareque Rahman are out of jail, position of the party must be better in terms of public support and they would be able to reorganize the grassroots for election or agitation; grass roots possess the idea that if BNP join in the local poll formally, party will gain public support and workers will be in a mood of confidence

 On the basis of this idea, BNP chalked out a primary movement program demanding the immediate release of Khaleda Zia and Tareque Rahman and in favor of few other demands. As a part of this program, very recently BNP declared a program titled March to Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) to submit a memorandum demanding the release of party Chairperson and other detainees which was flawed by the police.

Recent election result and the flawed program make the indication that BNP yet not in a position to face the election race or initiate an anti-government agitation. Meanwhile BNP leaders also said that if government invite them to talk abut the release process of Party Chairperson, they are intending to join. It should be mentioned that the release process of Khaleda Zia is on the harbor. Many Government Advisors also endorsed the issue and said that the difficulties on the issue would be resolved very soon.

In consideration of the position of the two major political forces, government assumed that election process, especially the local body poll under emergency is not in the potential threat from political parties. Even political forces are not going for an actual boycott. This situation put the military backed interim government on a little bit hard stand about election process.

But to make the election is a credible and acceptable one, is an important affair. That is why government should make sure that the election is acceptable to all major political parties and other stake holders. A court order which mentioned to make local body poll political is favoring the process, said legal experts, although government and EC ha the intention to make it non political.

However, EC is evaluating the outcomes emerged from the recent election process and told to the press that the commission have some difficulties as they do not have sufficient manpower to hold election independently. In holding of any election, administrative officers of field level get the responsibility to run the show. EC feel that this is the important shortfall for them. Any way EC have the preparation to hold Upazila election on October next. Now it is to observe, how the politicians react. #