‘Interest in elections is waning’

Professor Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman of Dhaka University’s department of public administration, in an interview with Prothom Alo, said people now ask how they will benefit from the election. They don’t see any point in voting. They will gain nothing. Their interest in the election is waning.

Prothom Alo: Voting in the capital’s two city elections are over. What is the significance of this local government election?

Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman: The local government is the cradle of democratic practice. If a proper election does not take place here and there is a lack of democracy, people will lose faith. In these local government elections, the people know the candidates well. So if there is a disinterest, a lack of confidence and lack of faith in these elections, we can hardly expect anything good from the national election. This is a matter of political science.

The village people know their chairman well, regardless of whether he is good or bad, a robber or a thief. They people know what they want when they go to him. That is why there is interest generated in the election. That is how people gain confidence in democracy. They have a place to go. Whether it is because of a lack of education or courage, they can’t go to the member of parliament. They feel comfortable with the local government. If the election is not fair here, then gradually people’s faith in democracy decreases. This creates a loss of hope at the national level. It obstructs stability and economic development. Experts say, there is only as much development as there is good governance.

Prothom Alo: But there is a different phenomenon in many Asian countries nowadays. Countries with less democracy are seeing greater development.
Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman: There is this different phenomenon in South and Southeast Asia. Semi-autocratic rules are doing well. Development rates are relatively better in these countries. This governance paradox has thrown a challenge to political theorists.
Prothom Alo: In Bangladesh, democracy has somewhat slowed down, yet development continues.
Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman: There has been extensive development in Bangladesh’s social sectors over the past few decades. The acute poverty of the seventies or the eighties has certainly disappeared. Development continues despite the limitations in democratic practice.

Prothom Alo: Why is there this conflicting trend between democracy and development?
Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman: One explanation could be that people have become rather supercilious concerning democracy. They are really not bothered as to who wins or loses. But more importantly, they don’t want to get in involved in any complications. Perhaps it makes no difference who wins or who loses. That is because they have lost faith, lost any sense of security. There is an opportunity in the local elections for the people to vent their anger against the local hoodlums of the ruling party. But how many people have this anger and how much does it add up to? Unless they personally suffer, they do not come forward.
Prothom Alo: There is a general feeling that only 25 to 30 per cent of the votes have been cast. Why such a low turnout?
Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman: People question how voting will make a difference to them. They see no benefit in casting their vote. They have nothing to gain. People’s interest in the election is waning. Then again, money and safety are factors too.

* This interview has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir