Political wind blowing fast in Bangladesh now
New Delhi: The pacolitical atmosphere has changed in Bangladesh all of a sudden. At the initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the political tendency to boycott the polls has changed into the politics of solving problems in participating in election following her dialogue with the opposition political parties.
All the political parties are now seriously busy in activities regarding their participation in the national election.
In accordance with the election schedule announced for the second time in four days by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on November 12, the national election to the 300-seat Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) will be held on December 30.
In response to the appeals of the major political parties and electoral alliances, the CEC deferred the polls schedule by seven days. Earlier on November 8, the CEC announced the polls schedule to the 11th Jatiya Sangsad setting December 23 as the date of polling. Of the total 350 seats in the national parliament, 50 are reserved for women.
Now the demand for formation of a caretaker government or assistance (Sahayak) government has already subsided while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted the January 5 national election in 2014 and decided to participate in the forthcoming polls, has not raising aloud demand that it would not join the election without release of its chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Like in the last election, the ruling Awami League has now going to take part in the polls constituting a grand alliance of 14 of its allies, most of them left-leaning political parties.
Besides, former president of the republic HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party and founder-member of BNP and another former president of the republic Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury-led Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and a few religion-biased political parties have also joined the grand alliance with Awami League to vie for the national election this time.
On the other hand, BNP has formed on October 13 an electoral front (alliance) named as Jatiya Oikya Front or the National Unity Front (NUF) under the leadership of estranged Awami League leader, former foreign minister of post-liberation Bangabandhu government and Gano Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain in association with a few other political parties.
Though the main component or ally in the Front is BNP, the NUF is led by Dr Kamal Hossain, in other words BNP has embarked upon him this time. As the Election Commission (EC) earlier cancelled registration of anti-liberation Jamaat-e-Islami, the party cannot take part in the polls individually. But, it will participate in the election under the BNP-led alliance with a different name. Beside, the Left Democratic Alliance of the left-leaning political parties has also been taking part in the polls.
All the political parties sans (accepting) the Awami League-led grand alliance boycotted the last national polls held on January 5 in 2014. The grand alliance candidates won uncontested 154 out of the total 300 seats in the parliament then.
Over the past three days, the ruling Awami League has been selling nomination papers among the party aspirants in the election from its president's political office at Dhanmondi in the capital. Each of the nomination form of Awami League (AL) costs Taka 30,000. Over 4000 aspirants purchased AL nomination forms so far, which means 13 aspirants for each of the seats in the House.
On the other hand, BNP has also started from yesterday (Monday/November 12) distribution of its nomination forms among its aspirants for the forthcoming election from its central office at Naya Paltan in the capital. On the inaugural day yesterday, nearly 1300 nominations forms have been sold out.
During the form selling period, BNP has been charging Taka 5,000 for each of the forms and Taka 25,000 at the time of submission of the filled-up nomination forms. All the allies in both the AL-led alliance and the NUF have been distributing nomination forms from their respective party offices.
In this year's polls, the ruling Awami League has been approaching the voters with a campaign of its successes including transforming the country into a developing one from an under developed state and trial of the war criminals and their punishment during its 10-year rule.
On the contrary, BNP has taken the field of voters highlighting mainly on the alleged corruption of the incumbent government, its repression on the opposition and the pro-India policy (of the government) and other anti-government slogans.
