What’s at stake for Bangladesh?
Hundreds of demonstrators, some throwing home-made bombs, battled police as they tried to gather at the opposition’s headquarters and other places throughout Dhaka for the so-called “March for Democracy” Sunday. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies have staged weeks of deadly protests, strikes and transport blockades to try to force Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina to resign. Dozens of people have been killed. The opposition says an election scheduled for January 5 must be held under a neutral caretaker government, as in the past, to prevent ballot-rigging.
Why boycott the polls?
The 18-party opposition in Bangladesh plans to boycott the January 5 national elections due to concerns over the ruling party’s administration of the polls. Political violence in the country, following the execution of an opposition leader for past war crimes, three weeks ago has left more than 170 people dead.
What political analysts are saying
“Right now, we have a repressive government,” said M Shahiduzzaman, a security analyst and a professor of international relations at the University of Dhaka. “After the January 5 elections, we will have an undemocratic government,” he said, adding that this will lead to more violence. Such a situation may, he said: “lead to sanctions from the countries expressing concerns with our political situation now”.
What’s at risk for Bangladesh?
With 82 countries questioning the credibility of the polls, experts fear punitive measures on opposition supporters could follow the vote. International relations experts and independent observers in Bangladesh fear that these are the first of many steps that may gradually turn into severe punitive measures against the country, if polls are not deemed credible and if political violence continues.
What the US says
In a press statement on December 22, a spokesperson for the US State Department expressed disappointment “that the major political parties have not yet reached consensus on a way to achieve [free and fair] elections, since more than half of the parliamentary seats are uncontested for the January 5 polls. In this context, the United States will not deploy observers for these elections”.
What the EU says
On December 20, the spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs, conveyed a similar message in a press statement. The EU “regrets” that Bangladesh’s main political parties have been unable to create an atmosphere for “transparent, inclusive and credible elections, despite many efforts, including most recently under UN auspices”.
What the Commonwealth says
On on December 22, the Commonwealth nations’ Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma, in a letter to the Election Commission in Bangladesh, said his group would not be sending observers to polls as “most political parties are not joining”. While the EU, US and Commonwealth nations have repeatedly asked the ruling and opposition alliance to settle the political impasse, there has been no solution yet.
Why outside observers are key
The opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) has used international observer boycotts to buttress its own case claiming that the vote won’t be free and fair. The absence of observers from the EU, US and the Commonwealth should be regarded as “a warning shot”, said Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, the chairman of Janipop, the national election observation council of Bangladesh. What the government says
On December 23, the Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed played down the concern of observers not making it to the country’s elections. “There is no cause for alarm about these issues,” Ahmed told local reporters. “Others will be on the field as they [foreign observers] have decided to not come. We have local observers and you all [media]. You will show the people of the country how the election has been held.”
Why the extra security measures?
On December 26, more than 50,000 army personnel were deployed across Bangladesh to aid the Election Commission in holding the polls, after the Chief Election Commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed, requested an army deployment from December 26 until January 9.
What’s the effect of the boycott?
A week ahead of the vote, more than 154 seats out of a total of 300 in the parliament had already been won unopposed by the ruling alliance party. “Assuming the elections take place, many countries will re-evaluate their relationship with Bangladesh. What changes these countries will make is unclear right now, but it will certainly not be business as usual,” according to David Bergman, a journalist based in Dhaka.
How will that hurt Bangladesh?
Special benefits in trade that Bangladesh is receiving from some export destinations could also be under threat. Bangladeshi export items enjoy duty-free access to EU markets. Western and EU markets are major contributors to Bangladesh’s annual export revenue, which stood at Dh80 billion for the fiscal year. Eighty per cent of this export revenue is generated by textile industry, which employs more than 4 million workers.
What’s at stake for Bangladesh? | GulfNews.com
Hundreds of demonstrators, some throwing home-made bombs, battled police as they tried to gather at the opposition’s headquarters and other places throughout Dhaka for the so-called “March for Democracy” Sunday. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies have staged weeks of deadly protests, strikes and transport blockades to try to force Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina to resign. Dozens of people have been killed. The opposition says an election scheduled for January 5 must be held under a neutral caretaker government, as in the past, to prevent ballot-rigging.
Why boycott the polls?
The 18-party opposition in Bangladesh plans to boycott the January 5 national elections due to concerns over the ruling party’s administration of the polls. Political violence in the country, following the execution of an opposition leader for past war crimes, three weeks ago has left more than 170 people dead.
What political analysts are saying
“Right now, we have a repressive government,” said M Shahiduzzaman, a security analyst and a professor of international relations at the University of Dhaka. “After the January 5 elections, we will have an undemocratic government,” he said, adding that this will lead to more violence. Such a situation may, he said: “lead to sanctions from the countries expressing concerns with our political situation now”.
What’s at risk for Bangladesh?
With 82 countries questioning the credibility of the polls, experts fear punitive measures on opposition supporters could follow the vote. International relations experts and independent observers in Bangladesh fear that these are the first of many steps that may gradually turn into severe punitive measures against the country, if polls are not deemed credible and if political violence continues.
What the US says
In a press statement on December 22, a spokesperson for the US State Department expressed disappointment “that the major political parties have not yet reached consensus on a way to achieve [free and fair] elections, since more than half of the parliamentary seats are uncontested for the January 5 polls. In this context, the United States will not deploy observers for these elections”.
What the EU says
On December 20, the spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs, conveyed a similar message in a press statement. The EU “regrets” that Bangladesh’s main political parties have been unable to create an atmosphere for “transparent, inclusive and credible elections, despite many efforts, including most recently under UN auspices”.
What the Commonwealth says
On on December 22, the Commonwealth nations’ Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma, in a letter to the Election Commission in Bangladesh, said his group would not be sending observers to polls as “most political parties are not joining”. While the EU, US and Commonwealth nations have repeatedly asked the ruling and opposition alliance to settle the political impasse, there has been no solution yet.
Why outside observers are key
The opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) has used international observer boycotts to buttress its own case claiming that the vote won’t be free and fair. The absence of observers from the EU, US and the Commonwealth should be regarded as “a warning shot”, said Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, the chairman of Janipop, the national election observation council of Bangladesh. What the government says
On December 23, the Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed played down the concern of observers not making it to the country’s elections. “There is no cause for alarm about these issues,” Ahmed told local reporters. “Others will be on the field as they [foreign observers] have decided to not come. We have local observers and you all [media]. You will show the people of the country how the election has been held.”
Why the extra security measures?
On December 26, more than 50,000 army personnel were deployed across Bangladesh to aid the Election Commission in holding the polls, after the Chief Election Commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed, requested an army deployment from December 26 until January 9.
What’s the effect of the boycott?
A week ahead of the vote, more than 154 seats out of a total of 300 in the parliament had already been won unopposed by the ruling alliance party. “Assuming the elections take place, many countries will re-evaluate their relationship with Bangladesh. What changes these countries will make is unclear right now, but it will certainly not be business as usual,” according to David Bergman, a journalist based in Dhaka.
How will that hurt Bangladesh?
Special benefits in trade that Bangladesh is receiving from some export destinations could also be under threat. Bangladeshi export items enjoy duty-free access to EU markets. Western and EU markets are major contributors to Bangladesh’s annual export revenue, which stood at Dh80 billion for the fiscal year. Eighty per cent of this export revenue is generated by textile industry, which employs more than 4 million workers.
What’s at stake for Bangladesh? | GulfNews.com
