Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

11th JS Poll Results

Writings between joy and grief!

Published : Thursday, 3 January, 2019 at 12:00 AM  Count : 620
Shahriar Feroze
By now the entire world has become well informed about the outcome of the 11th JS polls or national parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh, last year. May sound to have happened a year ago, but in fact the final results came out barely 72 hours ago. Yes, the ruling party Awami League secured a third consecutive victory, and yes this writer too had voted for the AL candidate in his respective constituency.  

The burning questions, however, how free and fair did this polling turn out to be? Is the public, in general, contented with the results? Has the landslide victory of AL with 288 seats is the ultimate outcome what we had expected? And is it possible to pay absolutely no heed to the spree of frequent reporting of polling irregularities taking place in various polling centres scattered across the country?

Answering on a strictly personal note, the elections were obviously free but not fair at all the centres. Be that as it may, some of my colleagues working in the media industry were not able to cast their votes (most of whom are staunch supporters of the ruling party), many couldn't vote because of the commuting and transporting ban of vehicles , and many had conveyed the irregularities witnessed by the social media. However, it is all over now and it will be AL to form the next government and leading Bangladesh towards a supposed better future for the next five years.

My political preference in this national election:
Speaking outright, my preferred political choice for this poll was an AL candidate. Why? Because the opponent candidates hadn't proved out to be competent enough, and the long-standing culture for voting for the opponent party simply because I am fed up with the ruling party, has waned in a greater degree in today's Bangladesh.

The dogma that, you-vote-for-this party-because- the-one-in-power- is -bad didn't repeat this time even though many believe, had the elections been held free and fair AL would have lost by a big margin.
 The truth: People expect to see development concurrent with the rule of law and unimpeded exercising of political freedom. Political freedom coupled with rule of law is actually missing in some areas. And for my limited knowledge, even if BNP had won, it could not have ensured either the rule of law or even a more responsible leadership.
 
To cut a long story short, it was an election between choosing the lesser evil against the greater. Many may and have the right to disagree with my standpoint; I chose to cast my vote for the Awami League since there was no effective opposition for promising a better political leadership.
On one hand, Dr Kamal led Oikkyo or unity front, may have appeared as an opposition alliance but it clearly lacked a visionary manifesto and leadership. Also the era of the old war horses in politics have ended in today's Bangladesh.

While on the other, devoid of a responsible visionary leadership and torn asunder between the mother and son's inaptness, the BNP badly needs to recover as well as reinvent its political identity in Bangladesh. Also it must learn how to organise its forces against a formidable political foe like Awami league. Looking at its proven weaknesses and shambolic state even this writer feels sorry for it.

I am happy and sad:
I am happy because my desired candidate won, and I am sad because I was expecting this election to be a margin of errors and a tough battle between the rivals, it appeared to be a purely one sided win. Governments were changed based on public mandates before, but democracy hadn't been strengthened. And random change necessarily does not promise a better political future.

This has been proved time again in the previous national elections. Sometimes stability and continuity is essential to take the country to sustainable development and institutionalisation of democracy. I am happy, since the continuation of several $ billions worth of mega projects will carry on with their usual speed. But there have been new issues added in the list of challenges.

Then again, the massive dissimilarity of seats in the recently ended poll results is more likely to continue the tittle-tattle of misrule and corruption within our electoral system. Especially, the Election Commission will have to bear the brunt in this regard.

I am also sad since there will be no effective opposition party at the parliament to oppose the government. Comparable to the last five years there may be a puppet or a dummy opposition but nothing more. Under such circumstances, we shouldn't practically aspire to witness democracy thriving. We have been following an electioneering process for electing a temporary dictatorship lasting for five years.

The big surprise:
Irrespective of all complaints regarding the 11th JS polls, it's a big surprise that there isn't a countrywide uprising or even an organised public outcry recorded anywhere in the country.  The opposition political fractions are either frustrated or confused about their next move. And several countries have already begun to send their congratulatory notes addressing the newly re-elected prime minister.

The government has, out-and-out rejected all claims of polling manipulation.
Allegations, objections or grievances relating to the election outcome, however you may term them, all still prevail in the public mind, but it's the force to unite the disgruntlements which is missing. What rules over is a tacit assent to the public mandate. Unlike before, the public has become lesser active on the political front. Their respective state of economic well-being is what really seems to matter.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely:
The saying has been proved correct many times in the past, and if AL wants to prove it wrong, it will have to run many extra miles in the next five years. With 288 seats in the ruling alliance and 266 seats in its own, it's more than just absolute majority or power. It has now become a pure one-party-game plus no opposition in Bangladesh. The active ingredients are all there to direct the country towards a one party rule. AL must take serious note of it. And it must seriously refrain from repeatedly playing its 'development card' in order to corner or ignore other critical issues. With absolute power, it can now be either constructive or destructive. The former is much desired.

My expectations from the new government:
My personal expectations from the new government are many. However, short listing them to a very few, the first will be to put an end to ruthless crushing of political dissents. Second in line, is to, ensure safety and security of its citizens. And third, intensely focus to its 21 point election manifesto.

No government can fulfil one hundred percent of its manifesto pledges, and it's a colossal task even to materialise half of them.
Unlike many, I don't usually talk about realising dreams in grander scales like 'strengthening democracy'; it's a huge expression of a demand incorporating freedom of speech, good governance to reforming the judiciary to the civil service and etc ... etc.

I believe, if the new AL government can realise 15 out of its 21 chalked out promises, it will end up making a remarkable achievement in the next five years. There is a saying, with victory come new challenges. Barely three days into the New Year, it's impossible to predict what lay ahead of us. But this particular term will be the toughest in AL's history. It's a make it or break it game. And even if it's likely to be a one party rule--the party in power mustn't forget--when dictatorship becomes a fact, revolution becomes a right.

The writer is editor-in-charge of the editorial section, The Daily Observer






LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
2019 marked a rise in border killings
China’s sea claims to face stiff test in 2020
India’s rising surge of ‘Hindu’ nationalism!
Renewable energy next important global power source
Is BD worried of Indian issues?
Single digit interest rate dilemma
The other side of growth and some thoughts for new year
Finance and more for SME
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: district@dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close