Nirbachannama: A deposition before death

Former election commissioner, civil servant, writer, and author of rhymes, Mahbub Talukdar, passed away on 24 August last year. His book 'Nirbachannama' has been published posthumously, in February this year.

The main focus of the book 'Nirbachannama' (Election Chronicles), as the name suggests, is the elections. The 12th national election is scheduled to be held in just a few months. In this context, the information, data, analyses, descriptions of various incidents, anecdotes, and experiences of the author, that appear in this book, are perhaps very significant and relevant to the times.

Mahbub Talukdar was appointed as an election commissioner on 15 February 2017 and he completed his tenure in office on 14 February 2022.

It was when he took on the responsibility of this office, that he planned on writing a book based on his experiences and observations. It was then that he was afflicted with cancer. It is evident when reading this book, and from accounts of his relatives, that despite the cancer and physical failings, he wrote bit of this book almost every single day. For the sake of his writings, he had collected election-related reports, letters, information and data. Some of this appears in the book.

During his term in office, Mahbub Talukdar stood out from among the other election commissioners because of his independent and bold stand. He spoke truthfully and logically, putting forward his blunt opinions on the election commission, election laws, the election system, and so on. That was why the media and the general people were particularly eager to hear his narratives. This book also contains all sorts of issues that will undoubtedly pique the interest of the reader.

During Mahbub Talukdar's term in office as an election commissioner, several local elections and a national election were held. He has written about more or less all these elections in this book. However, particular importance has been given to the 11th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election held on 30 December 2018. The chapter on this election is called, 'The Bizarre 11th Jatiya Sangsad Election: A White Paper.'

This chapter reveals his apprehensions and doubts about the election from beforehand. Quoting an excerpt from an entry of his diary made on 8 November 2018, he writes, "From the environment of the election commission, I repeatedly get the feeling that we are not dealing with everyone equally. If we cannot maintain neutrality, then such an election will never be credible. At time I felt compelled to reveal before the nation the entire matter of the fixed election. But I am not a political leader, I am just an election commissioner. No matter what I may say, I cannot go beyond certain limitations....'

Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), Badiul Alam Majumdar, recently referred to Nirbachannama, saying that that the election had gone from the election commission to the hands of the law enforcement agencies. (Prothom Alo online, 27 July 2023).

This matter becomes obvious to anyone reading Mahbub Talukdar's book. In context of the 2018 election, he wrote, "...the activities of the government and the law enforcement agencies in the last few local elections indicated that they were rehearsing for how they would operate during the national election. In my experience, this was a government 'blue print'."

In his book Nirbachannama, Mahbub Talukdar deliberates at length on how the circumstances of the voting and results of the 11th national parliament election were not normal. He says that this election came to be known by the people as the 'election of the night'. Because of the manner in which such elections were held, the voters have lost interest in casting their votes.

In his book, Mahbub Talukdar has written about the activities of the intelligence agencies as well. He writes, "As the election drew near, the activities of the intelligence agencies in the office increased.... The intelligence agencies became more and more involved in the election." This book contains an intriguing description of how he, as an election commissioner, was under surveillance of the intelligence.

Chapter 13 of this book is called 'Bangladesh towards the Uncertain Destination of Authoritarian Rule.' This chapter throws light on Mahbub Talukdar's insight regarding the state and politics. He has discussed the constitution, democracy, the judiciary, and media freedom in this chapter.

He writes, "The blue print to push the national towards authoritarian rule isn't carried out by constitutional amendment alone. This often requires the facade of democracy, faux democracy. When democracy is rife with rhetoric, this indicates that this is motivated. When democracy is adorned with all sorts of adjectives -- 'development democracy', 'people's democracy', 'democracy of the oppressed', etc, these are just ploys leading up to authoritarian rule...."

Mahbub Talukdar was involved in journalism at one point of his life. That is why media freedom was important to him. In Nirbachannama, he writes about freedom of the press, "Controlling the media is the biggest tool wielded by authoritarian rule. The independent of the media has been diminished more than ever before, even more than during military rule...."

Discussing the state of the country's politics in this chapter, Mahbub Talukdar writes about his apprehensions and doubts. He writes, "...I am sometimes taken aback at how democracy, the fundamental mantra of this country liberated with the blood of three million martyrs, is gradually shrinking. Many achievements of Bangladesh today are destroyed by autocracy. As a citizen, I cannot accept that. Will future history favour the people or the rulers? Only time will tell."

Sincere love for Bangabandhu

While Nirbachannama deals with Mahbub Talukdar's experience as an election commissioner, his has written it in an autobiographical style, mentioning matters of his personal life. He differed in opinion from the other election commissioners and was outspoken and bold about various issues. As a result, he was dubbed as a 'BNP man'.

However, it is easily understood in Chapter 5 of the book ('Illness and Ailments, Foreign Trips and Memories), that he had sincere love and respect for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. From his student life he was acquainted with members of Bangabandhu's family. During his professional career, he served at Bangabhaban and enjoyed the company of Bangabandhu. He writes, "In the course of my career, I unexpectedly gain the affection of the father of the nation. This was a matter of huge honour in my small life."

Mahbub Talukdar writes in this book that he had become rather 'isolated' in the election commission. But even so, he did not budge from this stand. Throughout his term in office, he remained vocal about all the inconsistencies concerning the election. He has revealed many of these incongruities in this book. Despite adverse circumstances, he went against the tide, speaking and writing what he felt was the truth. He will be respect and remembered by each and every democracy-loving individual of Bangladesh for all times for this courageous stance of his.

When Mahbub Talukdar was in office as election commissioner and planned to write this book, he was suddenly afflicted with cancer. He was ailing and passed away just a few days after he completed this book. He perhaps sensed that his time has run out. That is why on the title page of the book he inscribed the words, 'A Deposition before Death.'

* Monjurul Islam is senior sub-editor at Prothom Alo