Among the strategies that Awami League has adopted to go ahead with the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election, sans BNP, the most significant is its fielding independent, alternative or dummy candidates against the candidates nominated by the party. This certainly is unprecedented in Bangladesh’s political history. In the past when there were apprehensions of a nominated candidate’s nomination being cancelled for any reason, an alternative candidate would be brought forward. This time Awami League's independent candidates are contesting in almost all constituencies, though the final list will only be known after the 17 December deadline for withdrawal.
According to Section 47 (11) of Awami League’s manifesto, if anyone becomes a candidate against the party candidate in national or local government elections, they will be directly expelled. Even if they are not candidates, if they oppose the party candidate, an inquiry will be carried out and they will be expelled accordingly.
The Awami League leadership gave much time and thought to nominate the candidate whose qualities and acceptability are better than the other aspirants. In the 11th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election, 71 members of parliament were not given nomination. The party’s nomination board did not deem them to be qualified. But now they are being encouraged to contest in the election. The Awami League leaders feel that the candidate fielded by the other parties against them, do not have the minimum qualifications. So there is all the more likelihood of scoring goals easily. Political analysts feel that Awami League’s strategy just might boomerang. If several candidates of the same party are fielded just to make the election look competitive, there will be no party discipline whatsoever. Such signs are already emerging in several areas. Two incidents among many may be mentioned here:
One. Threatening the Cumilla-2 (Debidwar) independent candidate and Cumilla North district Awami League organising secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, the North district Swechchhashebok League general secretary Liton Sarkar said, “Abu Kalam may be a pain in the neck, but he has done us a favour. There is Razi Mohammad Fakhrul (present MP) over here. One can escape from a tiger, but no one can escape from Razi Mohammad Fakhrul. But forget about Razi Mohammad, first see if you can escape from us! I challenge you openly. Forget about competition, even your security deposit will be confiscated.” He was speaking on Tuesday at a discussion meeting of Bhani union Jubo League in Debidwar upazila. His speech has gone viral on social media.
Abul Kalam Azad had failed to secure party nomination. Razi Mohammad Fakhrul was nominated there. An independent candidate has alleged that Liton Sarkar’s followers hacked one of his supporters and sent him to hospital.
Two. Independent candidate Kamruzzaman Kamrul held a meeting to exchange views at the Madhabdi pourashava auditorium on Wednesday. Addressing the people of the Sadar seat Awami League candidate Nazrul Islam alias Hiru, Awami League leader Sirajul Islam said, “The ‘boat’ people won’t get any room to flee even.” This statement of his went viral on social media. A written complaint was submitted to the deputy commissioner and returning officer Badiul Alam, demanding action regarding the incident.
Also, at a meeting on 29 November of the Awami League nominated candidate to this seat, member of parliament Mohammad Nazrul Islam, the district Chhatra League president Ahsanul Islam in his speech threatened the independent candidates. He said, “There is nothing more effective than a beating. And the guys know how to beat someone up. Chhatra League does not care about any independent candidates.” Ahsanul Islam is now in jail for violating the election laws.
The Awami League leadership took the decision to field independent, alternative or dummy candidates in order to give the election semblance of competitiveness. They feared that with BNP not taking part in the election, many of their candidates would win uncontested this time too. In the 2014 election that took place without BNP, candidates won uncontested in 152 of the 300 seats.
Rather than a competition, this can be called a friendly match. But given all indications at a field level, it looks like the friendly match will ultimately become an all-out combat
Elections mean competition, contest. But that cannot be within one party alone. If that happens, then there would be no difference between a party’s committee elections and the national polls. An election is based on ideology, principles and programmes. Awami League will surely approach the voters this time with certain specific programmes. It will announce its election manifesto. This will give an account of their achievements and successes over the past five years and also present their plans for the future. Awami League candidates will certainly hold up their party’s ideals, ideology and programmes. They will don their Mujib coats, wear Bangabandhu badges. But what about those who the party has fielded against them as independent, alternative or dummy candidates? What will they do?
During their election campaign will they belittle the ‘boat’ symbol? Will they say that there has been no development in the country over the past five years? That corruption and misrule had overridden the country? As leaders or activists of Awami League, they cannot say that. They will not be able to go beyond the party ideals or ideology. So they will have to speak against the one sailing in the boat. They will have to say, “The Awami League leadership has given the boat symbol to the wrong candidate. I was supposed to get the boat. Vote for me.”
The bottom line is, the elections this time are not based on any ideals or ideology. It does not look like any party will speak out against the government’s erroneous economic policies. Outside of Awami League, the 14 Party allies are also vying for the boat symbol. It is heard that some Jatiya Party leaders have also been asking for the boat symbol to be removed from certain seats. A top leader of the 14 party alliance said that the boat is now the symbol for the 14 party alliance. In saying so, hasn’t he indicated his party’s self-extinction?
In the past local government institution elections, there had been stiff competition between the Awami League-nominated candidate and the rebel candidates. The rebels won in many seats. But this time there are no rebel candidates. No one is violating the party norms. They will take part in the election in keeping with the leadership’s intentions.
In an election, all the parties try to win under their respective symbols. The people in Bangladesh generally give more importance to the party and the symbol rather than the people. But Awami League has set the political stage in such manner where two groups of both sides within the party will the leaders of the party itself can take sides and fight against each other. Rather than a competition, this can be called a friendly match. But given all indications at a field level, it looks like the friendly match will ultimately become an all-out combat.
* Sohrab Hassan is joint editor at Prothom Alo and a poet. He can be contacted at [email protected]
* This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir