53pc of voters want interim govt to stay in office for 2 yrs or less: Poll

Ninety-seven per cent of voters have confidence in the interim government which took over on 8 August after the fall of Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina on 5 August.

47 per cent of voters think the tenure of this government should be 3 years or more and 53 per cent feel this government should be in office for two years or less, according to a survey.

The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) of private North South University revealed the findings of ‘National Poll 2024: Citizens’ Expectations to the Interim Government of Bangladesh’ at a press conference at the capital’s National Press Club on Wednesday.

North South University teacher Akram Hossain presented the poll results and findings.

The SIPG conducted the poll on 1,869 people in 17 districts of eight divisions on 9-19 September.

Sixty-three per cent of the respondents were aged between 28 and 50 while 22 per cent were Generation Z (18-27 years) and 14 per cent were over 50. Fifty-four per cent of respondents were from cities and 46 per cent were from rural areas.

According to the findings, 72 per cent of respondents supported a political party backed by students while 96 per cent supported the introduction of provisions stating an individual cannot hold the post of prime minister for over two terms.

Thirty-five per cent of the respondents think minor reforms to the constitution is necessary while 16 per cent opined for rewriting the entire constitution and three per cent of the respondents opined there is no need for change to the constitution.

Addressing the event, Electoral System Reform Commission head Badiul Alam Majumdar said this poll highlighted the huge confidence and sky-high expectations of people in the interim government, and managing this expectation is a big challenge to the government.

Fair elections were held in the country before, but they yielded no outcome because of the country’s political culture, he pointed out.

Badiul Alam Majumdar said if this political culture does not change, if political parties do not implement their commitments after coming to power, everything will go in vain.

Political parties must practice democracy, he added.

Badiul Alam Majumdar hoped the government might discuss with political parties after the reform commissions placed recommendations, then a roadmap and an election day might be fixed.

SIPG adviser professor Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman said the government must understand they have the opportunity to do reform since 97 per cent of people have confidence in them.

North South University’s political science and sociology professor Navine Murshid said huge confidence and sky-high expectations have arisen among people, and that means the responsibility of the government, and people want to depend on them.

Mahbubur Rahman, professor of history and philosophy department North South University, moderated the event.