Awami League and only Awami League in parliament

There is no anti-government party or individual in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament). In the 12^th Jatiya Sangsad election on Sunday, 280 of the winning candidates had contested either on Awami League nomination or as the party’s independent candidates. Outside of that, 13 of the candidates were allies and partners from the Awami League-led alliance. Only five of the elected are from other parties and camps. However, among them, three were brought with the assurance of victory.

This picture of the members of parliament was revealed by analyzing the results of the election and from concerned sources.

After parliamentary democracy was initiated in 1991, Awami League did not take part in the 15 February 1996 election. In the other five elections, Awami League leaders never won as many seats as they did this time. That means that this time the highest number of leaders and supporters of the party have become party and independent members of parliament, surpassing the elections of 2009, 2014 and 2018.

The election took place in 299 constituencies of the country on Sunday. So far the results of 298 have been announced. Awami League has won in 222 of these seats. And 58 of the party’s independent candidates have also won. In order words, 94.30 per cent of the parliament will comprise Awami League members of parliament.

Tahmina Begum won the Madaripur-3 seat and Syed Sayedul Haque the Habiganj-4 seat as independent candidates. Speaking to Prothom Alo yesterday, Monday, they both said that they will remain in favour of Awami League in the parliament. There is no scope to think otherwise.

Two from the Awami League-led 14 party alliance – one from Workers Party and one from Jasod – have won. They contested with the Awami League ‘boat’ symbol. Awami League relinquished 26 constituencies to Jatiya Party (JaPa) this time, of which JaPa bagged 11. The party came to an understanding with Awami League in 2008 and took part in the election. In that sense it can be said that 293 members of the imminent parliament are directly and indirectly partners of the ruling Awami League.

Sources say that having the party’s independent candidates in the election and also ensuring three from other parties and camps win, were all the part of the plan. Several powerful quarters were active in forging an understanding with the allies, in conducting the campaign and implementing these plans on the day of the election. In fact, there was no intervention in certain areas where it was evident that the Awami League candidate was losing. The plan was to bring in more other parties and camps, but later this was largely curtailed and party candidates given the chance to win.

Speaking to the media in Rangpur yesterday, Monday, JaPa chairman GM Quader said, “Overall, the election was not good. Whoever the government wanted to win, won. I believe that this election will not gain credibility.”

After parliamentary democracy began, an election under a party government took place on 15 February 1996. Almost all opposition parties, including the major opposition party Awami League, boycotted that election. After that, BNP was forced to step down from power within one and a half months. The next three elections were held under caretaker government. Awami League won in two, BNP in one. The incumbents were defeated every time.

After 1/11, Awami League won the 2008 election with a two-third majority and in 2011 abolished the caretaker government system.

After that, it is said that Awami League won the next three elections by adopting various strategies. In the 2014 election boycotted by the opposition, Awami League and its allies won uncontested 153 seats required to form the government. Awami League singly won 234 seats in that election.

BNP and all other parties took part in the 2018 election. Awami League alone won in 248 seats. Anti-government parties term that as the ‘night-time election’. It is alleged that the ballot papers were stamped and stuffed into the ballot boxes on the night before the election. The voters were obstructed from going to the polling stations.

BNP and other opposition parties this time announced a boycott of the election and Awami League took up a strategy to field ‘independent’ candidates. While exchanging views with the party leaders at Ganabhaban, the party chief Sheikh Hasina encouraged them to become independent candidates. As a result, Awami League had 265 candidates this time and there were 269 independent candidates of the party too. The opposition parties termed this ‘independent strategy’ as a ‘dummy’ election and called upon the people to refrain from voting. They distributed leaflets in this regard too.

Winning 88 seats in the 1991 election, Awami League became the main opposition in parliament. In the 12 June 1996 election, winning 146 seats, Awami League formed the government in coalition with Jatiya Party and JSD (Rab). In the 2001 election, Awami League secured 62 seats and formed the opposition once again.

Speaking at press briefing at the party’s Tejgaon office yesterday, Monday, the party general secretary Obaidul Quader said that the independent candidates are representatives of the people. They will sit in parliament as elected members and carry out their role. He said, the victory of 222 candidates for the ruling party is a positive reality.

Business leader AK Azad won in the Faridpur-3 seat this time. He had been a member of the district Awami League advisory council. But two days before the election, 10 party persons, including AK Azad, were dropped from the party posts as they were contesting as independents. From the central Awami League it had been decided on principle this time that no disciplinary action would be taken against anyone for contesting independently.

Kalyan Party chairman former army officer Syed Muhammad Ibrahim won in the Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency. Kalyan Party was formed in 2007 under the leadership of Ibrahim. This is the first time he has been elected to parliament.

In November last year Syed Muhammad Ibrahim announced that he was breaking away from the BNP alliance and joining the election. It is said that certain powerful quarters had brought him to the election with assurances of winning. Local Awami League sources said that all-out support was given to him from the start of the campaign to the day of the election.

Independent candidate Maulana Mohammad Husamuddin Chowdhury won the Sylhet-5 seat. Son of the late Fultali pir, Husamuddin took part in the election for the first time and won. His nearest contender was the Awami League candidate, the party Sylhet city president valiant freedom fighter Mashuk Uddin Ahmad.

As independent candidate, on 6 December Husamuddin met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gana Bhaban. Local Awami League sources say despite there being a ‘boat’ candidate, all efforts were made by various quarters of the government to ensure that Husamuddin won. Even the local leaders of Awami League and its affiliated fronts were used to campaign for him.

Syed AK Ekramuzzaman won in the Brahmanbaria-1 seat. He was an advisor to the BNP chairperson and expelled from the party when he announced he would contest in the election as an independent candidate. A large section of the local Awami League backed him. It is said a powerful quarter was behind his victory too.

Independent candidate Siddiqul Alam who has won the Nilphamari-4 seat, was expelled from JaPa.

This time 28 registered parties, including Awami League, took part in the election. Of them, five had gained seats in the parliament. Political analysts say that there has been no such precedence in any election since 1991. There is hardly any party or dissenting voice that can hold the government accountable in parliament.