Bangladesh interim govt grapples with uncertainties ahead of pledged national election

New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) With nearly about three months left for a national election pledged by Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, doubts remain over the possibility of holding a free and fair democratic exercise under prevailing conditions.

The process is likely to be held amid a ban on political organisations like the Awami League, which party leader and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is reported to have reacted with a call for a mass boycott of polls.

Some other parties and their supporters have also publicly claimed to resort to a boycott if any of their leaders are barred from participating.

Ironically, the Hasina-led administration has itself been charged by the present regime of repression and keeping the Opposition from participating in the country's poll process.

Additionally, there are Constitutional and legal uncertainty over the mechanism for holding elections -- over questions of who administers them and under what mandate -- that creates competing legal interpretations and court cases.

In response to the demands for Constitutional, electoral, and administrative reforms following the students' uprising in July 2024 emerged the "July National Charter".

The document evolved through a consensus among some 30 political parties and the interim government, seeking to address the issues of governance and democracy in Bangladesh.

On Thursday, Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami said that according to the July National Charter, a referendum must be held by November; and if not held before the national elections, the entire election process will be called into question, the Daily Ittefaq reported.

Commenting on a referendum, Prothom Alo, opined that while all political parties have agreed on the process, there needs to be a clarity on how the Charter would be implemented, or what the question of the referendum would be, where people would vote "yes" or "no".

It argued that in that case, a respondent would either have to agree with all of the 48 questions or say no to all of them.

This, it inferred, does not seem to have been taken into account in framing the question of the referendum.

Thus, it said, it would have been logical to give the next Parliament the power to amend the Constitution on the basis of the July Charter through a referendum rather than through a referendum.

Meanwhile, the interim government's proposed reforms, the possibility of a referendum, and varied views over implementing the July Charter recommendations have shifted focus away from an agreed, time‑bound electoral roadmap.

Reports also point out administrative and institutional issues, disputes over the Election Commission's independence and capacity, limited time to process electors' registration and ensuring overseas voters' right, may all combine to pose a formidable challenge.

Parties like Amar Bangladesh have also questioned the impartiality of the interim government, expressing doubt that it can ensure fair polls.

Prothom Alo has also said that while the Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has asked the interim government to play the role of caretaker government, Jamaat said that 70 to 80 per cent of the people in the administration and police belong to the BNP.

Meanwhile, the National Citizen Party (NCP), established about seven months after the July uprising, sought the removal of all the advisors from parties or groups from the advisory council, the newspaper added.

Reports also point out several positional dissimilarities between the NCP and the Jamaat on various issues.

The Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) or People's Rights Council, another political party evolving after the July movement, has accused the BNP, Jamaat, and NCP of dividing the current administration and taking advantage out of it.

Amid multiple contradictions and uncertainties, the interim government appears to grapples with the task of holding its pledged national election.

--IANS

jb/khz