Necessity of observers and acceptable election

BNP is not in the field in this election - this is the reason for the considerable discussion and all the political unrest. Undoubtedly, the BNP is one of the two major parties in Bangladesh. Although Jamaat-e-Islam has some political influence and support, they are not registered, so there is no opportunity for formal elections. Still, there is Jamaat in the anti-election movement. The ground reality is that if the BNP had come to the polls, Jamaat would have been in the elections despite not being registered. They used to enter the parliament under the cover of BNP clothes. In the movement, they are mainly under the banner of BNP, although they give some scattered programs.

In the face of BNP-Jamaat's absence from the election, the question remains whether the upcoming election will be credible and whether the victorious party that comes to power can carry out the government's activities. An apprehension has existed long that agitators may thwart the polls in the pretext of alleged election rigging. However, it didn't happen. Elections are just a few days away. So far, the Election Commission has continued the election process properly. Election festivities have already started in the country. There are no signs that the opposition will be able to prevent the election from taking place in the next two weeks. There are also some indications that the next government can take oath after the election.

Japan is America's biggest ally. Despite being friends, the United States is at odds with the European Union, But with Japan, no such discord exists. The Japanese Ambassador Yoyama Kiminori met the Chief Election Commissioner, had a cordial discussion, and expressed his willingness to send election observers, albeit on a limited basis. There will be 16 observers from Japan in the election. It is a commonsensical knowledge that when a country sends even one observer to another country's election, it must remember that that election is taking place in that country.

However, the European Union has already said it will not send many observers. Notably, when they announced this impasse a few months ago, it was not sure that the BNP would not come to the polls. However, the European Union has already sent four observers to Dhaka. Meanwhile, 29 US Embassy officials in Bangladesh have sought accreditation as foreign observers. Apart from this, many observers from Africa and locally have applied to the Electoral Commission, which is not a matter of discussion.

The number of observers does not matter. Suppose there are ten foreign observers, and the election is unfair and inaccessible from rigging; it may have a negative impact. Likewise, we feel that the Election Commission and the government can achieve great success if they hold a fair and untampered competitive election with the presence of limited observers. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repeatedly said she would perform a free and fair election. The Awami League needs a reflection of this desire. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League want a significant number of people to come to the polling booths and cast their votes themselves so that the whole world can see that the people of Bangladesh have been able to vote for the candidate of their choice. It will also create the acceptance of the next government.

Regardless of the BNP not partaking in the election, it is true that if people can reflect their opinion by voting for their preferred candidate, they will rush to the polling stations. Even staunch supporters of the BNP will come to vote because Bangladesh is a homogeneous nation. Here, personal identity and affinity are no less important than political identity at the local level. Another critical point is that people who come to the polling station to vote for any reason can no longer participate in the post-election BNP movement on moral grounds.

We have no difficulty understanding that immediately after the election, the BNP and some minor parties will try to organize a movement to declare the election illegal. How much the movement can gather also depends on the type of election. If people get the value of their votes, the BNP movement cannot sustain itself. And if there is an election like in 2018, those still outside the two platforms may also become supporters of the movement.

In this, the post-election movement can become faster than the pre-election movement. So, the first and foremost responsibility of the Election Commission and the government is to conduct the elections properly. In this case, the main task of the Awami League is to force the party leaders and workers to abide by the laws and rules. Now is the age of the Internet and mobile phones. Any tampering or hacking in one area will spread across the country in no time. Immediately, every candidate within and outside the party will desperately play the game of snitch.

It is also true that if a fair election is completed, the countries that have taken a negative position in the world will have no option but to withdraw from their anti-government stance. I said this in the newspaper. If the elections are held in a row, even the friendly countries of the government may lose the morale to continue their support. After all, the people of the whole world, especially all the world's nations, at least accept Janata Janardhan. So, we have to wait to see how the election looks. One can surmise that there will be no more hostile news from any powerful country before this election on January 7, which is a matter of relief for the government. It is also crucial to note that a good election will make the election acceptable and restore good relations with some countries.

Author: Writer and journalist