'BNP won't benefit by boycotting the elections'
Conflict continues among the political parties over the next national election. The ruling Awami League and its allies are determined that the election will be held in accordance with the constitution. BNP and its allies, on the other hand, feel that the election must be held under a non-party caretaker government. How can this conflict be resolved? Political scientist Dr Harun-or-Rashid speaks at length on the issue in an interview with Prothom Alo’s Sohrab Hassan and Rafsan Galib
Q :
You will certainly agree that there is a crisis over the next parliamentary election. What is the way out?
I do not think there is any crisis over the election in the country. BNP has been demanding a neutral caretaker government, which had been scraped much earlier through the verdict of the highest court. There is a balance with political forces over holding a fair election. I hope that the next election will be participated by all parties and that BNP will also contest. BNP's boycott of 2014 election was suicidal.
Q :
Although BNP participated in the 2018 election, the election was not fair. There are allegations that the voting was held at the night. People could not cast their votes. What guarantee is there that they would be able to cast the vote in the next election?
A political balance will be established if BNP and its allies take part in the election. At the time the election commission and the administration, law enforcing agencies will discharge duties properly. Although BNP joined the election in 2018, there was crisis of leadership. Despite being elected, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir couldn't take oath. He was asked from London to resign. If he was in parliament, he could strongly speak for his party.
Q :
What situation will emerge if BNP does not join elections under a party government?
A one-sided election will be held. An unilateral election can never be a fair election. So I will say BNP has no alternative to joining the election. They have to prove their popularity by joining elections. They are demanding ae caretaker government, but they are unable to convince people to take to the streets in favour of it. This means the people have no support for their demand.
Q :
BNP says the government is trying to remain in power for long after holding a election to their choice. The ruling party does not want BNP to contest in the election.
If Awami League does not want BNP to join the election, BNP should participate in the election to prove their popularity. If the people are with them, none can overturn the results of election. Many people have been seen to be enthusiastic over the Bangladesh trip of UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet. But I see nothing to be enthusiastic. Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings started in Bangladesh during the rule of BNP. People have been killed by grenade attack on 21 August. Did not the incidents of human rights violation take place at the time? Not under the pressure of the foreign power, a participatory and competitive election has to be held to protect democracy.
Q :
Do you see any difference between last the KM Nurul Huda commission and current Kazi Habibul Awal commission? They called upon the political parties for talks over the elections. BNP and their allies did not join.
We take lessons from the past mistakes and different incidents. Visibly, the current commission is doing well that the previous commission. The Cumilla City Corporation has been highly competitive. The Awami League candidate has won by a narrow margin. The election environment you are talking about is possible if all parties join. It is not possible if the election is held unilaterally. If not the political crisis is resolved, a democratic environment will be created ahead of the next election. BNP should have joined in the dialogue with the election commission.
Q :
Is the problem ideological or about power? Those who are launching a movement with BNP demanding a fair election, some of them had launched movement with Awami League in the nineties. Some were with the Awami League government.
The problem is both ideological and about power. People do politics for power. But ideology cannot be dropped for power.
BNP made Shah Aziz prime minister though he was against the liberation of the country. Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mujahid were also made ministers. Awami League will have a political struggle with them. Despite cancellation of registration of Jammat-e-Islami, BNP made an alliance with Jamaat in the last election.
Q :
The government did not ban Jamaat-e-Islami despite their registration cancelled by the election commission.
I think Jamaat-e-Islami should be banned.
Q :
Why does not Awami League accept the demand of a caretaker government for election if it thinks it so popular?
Why will they? People are not supporting this demand. Millions of people did not take the streets. BNP has destroyed the caretaker government system. BNP extended the tenure of a judge to make the chief advisor of the caretaker government their choice.
Q :
BNP may have destroyed the caretaker government system, but Awami League could not prove in the last two elections that a fair election can be held under a party government.
Earlier, I said a political balance is urgent to hold a fair election. That balance was ruined in 2014 as BNP boycotted the election.
Q :
The crisis over election is yet to be resolved.
Both the government and the opposition party have to come forward to come out of the crisis. The government has to create democratic and favourable environment for election. Arrangements have to be made so that the opposition parties can organise meetings and rallies.
On the other hand, the opposition has to come out of its policy of boycotting the election. Conflict is inevitable if every one sticks to their respective positions. Nothing can be achieved by boycotting, which was proved in 2014. In 2015, they unleashed violence and anarchy in the name of movement. No one wants that type of situation regarding the next election. They have to keep in mind that none will take them to power from outside. They have to go to power with the verdict of the people. If the people cannot cast their vote, a movement will grow. People will take to the streets. But that would not happen if the election is boycotted.
Q :
You are talking about the democratic environment and freedom of expression. But is not the Digital Security Act obstacle to this?
DSA is not only in Bangladesh, this law exists in many countries. I have seen journalists enjoy freedom in Bangladesh. This law is necessary to prevent the crimes that take place through digital. But the question is whether this law is being used in other cases. However, the government has to remain alert so that innocent people are not harassed and there is no excess in applying this law. As the people have to act responsibly, so that the government has to show restraint. There are many weaknesses in our political culture. That cannot be wiped out overnight. The democracy has to flourish gradually.
Q :
Thank you
Thank you too