Amid uncertainty and socio-political turmoil in Bangladesh, its interim government head Dr Muhammad Yunus announced probable timing of the next general election scheduled before Bengali New Year 1433 (usually begins on 14 April of the Gregorian calendar year). Addressing the nation on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, the lone Nobel laureate of Bangladesh revealed that the 13th Parliamentary polls will be conducted in the first half of April 2026. The chief advisor of the caretaker government, which was installed after a student-led public movement ousted the sitting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 5 August 2024, asked the electorates to support a free, fair, clean and participatory election in the south Asian country with a population of over 170 million.
Prof Yunus also informed that the country’s election commission will provide a detailed roadmap for the polls in an appropriate time, prior to which the voters should work out their preparation for electing right candidates to Jatiya Sansad with an aim to end political violence, corruption and bad governance from Bangladesh. The soft spoken octogenarian gentleman expressed hope that the election would satisfy the souls of martyrs during the July-August 2024 uprising and bring peace to their souls. “We want the largest number of voters, candidates and parties to participate in the next elections’, ” he stated during the address, live telecast by the state-run BTV and other media platforms, adding that it would signify the journey to build a new Bangladesh.
Speaking about three mandates for the current administration (namely reform, justice and elections), Dr Yunus commented that the country eyes on an inclusive election that honors the sacrifices of martyrs. He added that millions of young voters will participate in the electoral process for the first time in their lives and they would hold the candidates and political parties accountable if the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity is compromised. The voters will demand the elected representatives to run the country with complete honesty and transparency, keeping themselves away from all kinds of corruption, partisanship, tender-syndicate manipulation, extortion, and other anti-people activities, he asserted.
He did not forget to mention about the public menace created by the Hasina-led Awami League government in Dhaka for decades, commenting that a faulty electoral system can only help raise an autocratic regime (like that of Hasina). During the last 16 years of the authoritarian government, a large number of people were made disappeared to suppress political dissent, commented Dr Yunus, adding that many of them were detained in disappearance centers (recently three came to light in Dhaka, Chapainawabganj and Bogra localities), which are under investigation.
Admitting that Bangladesh is ‘in a state of war’, Dr Yunus called upon the people to remain united against the fugitive premier, who named ‘more than a thousand infrastructure and institutions in the country’ after her parents, siblings, and relatives, Dr Yunus stated that all these names (including those of cantonments, air bases, naval ships, mega bridges, roads, establishments, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, research centers, etc) were already changed. He also added that the trial of crimes against humanity accusing Awami League and its allied forces is progressing.
Elaborating on the government-formed reform commissions, based on which the National Consensus Commission has been discussing with various mainstream politicians, the widely admired teacher turned baker turned social business preacher added that the commission will announce the July Charter, based on the consensus of all political parties, very soon and present to the nation as it was promised. His address also highlighted 1.2 million Rohingya people, now living in Bangladesh, who escaped Myanmar following a war like situation in Rakhine province and the recent commitment from the Myanmar military rulers to receive back around 180,000 eligible Rohingyas.
Greeting the people on a blessed Eid-ul-Azha, Dr Yunus commented that it’s one of the largest religious festivals of Muslims and a unique symbol of deep devotion and ultimate sacrifice to the almighty. He reminded that the festival teaches peace, compassion, sacrifice, and brotherhood, where the true spirit lies in self-purification, self-restraint and harmony. He urged the people to maintain unity, hygiene and compassion to the deprived section in the society, so that Bangladesh can grow as a nation with happiness, prosperity and growth.
The prime opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which was insisting for an early election (preferably by December this year), expressed disappointment that mid-April is a bad choice for polls because of extreme heat, rains and examinations in educational institutions. The leaders of former premier Khaleda Zia’s BNP argued that the election in December is still possible. Communist Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Amar Bangladesh Party, etc also echoed a similar version stating that winter will be the best time for polls in Bangladesh. Earlier, Bangladesh army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman also emphasized on conducting the election by December. However, the newly launched National Citizen Party along with Nagarik Oikya and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party welcomed the poll timing.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leaders also appreciated the election roadmap stating that the people now feel relieved after the declaration of poll-timing. It may be mentioned that Jamaat was recently allowed by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh to restore its registration as a political party. Once maligned for its pro-Pakistani roles during the 1971 Liberation War and subsequently banned, the Islamic party now prepares for participating in the forthcoming general election. Political observers believe that along with BNP, the Jamaat now emerges as a front runner in the polls after consolidating a large volume of religious voters in the Muslim majority nation.
It’s not yet clear if Awami League can participate in the polls, as all kinds of activities by the ousted premier’s party were recently banned by the interim government under a modified anti-terror law and the election authorities suspended its registration as a political party. Besides Hasina, who is taking an unofficial shelter in Delhi since her departure from Dhaka, hundreds of party leaders are still on the run to escape the arrest. Many of them will have to face legal battles against a number of police complaints lodged in their home country. Some of them commented on social media that Dr Yunus was simply buying time (nearly ten months to prepare for the polls) and framing a wrong narrative against the oldest party of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, a USA-based Awami League leader condemned the declaration of ‘so-called elections’ asserting that Hasina was democratically elected and according to the Constitution she should continue with the position of a premier till 2029. Criticizing Dr Yunus for declaring the polls, the non-resident Bangladeshi leader termed it ‘a lollipop’ for the people of Bangladesh. He claimed that Dr Yunus is a mere economist who has no understanding of politics. But the ground reality narrates that 12th Jatiya Sansad was already dissolved, for which Hasina and her party representatives were elected on 7 January 2024 national polls with a voters’ turn out as low as 20% where the prime opposition BNP boycotted the process.
Even Hasina herself also faces an extradition directive from the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh to get her produced before the tribunal on 16 June next. The ICT-Bangladesh, incidentally set up by Hasina herself in 2009 to probe and prosecute individuals for war crimes in the time of Bangladesh Liberation War in collaboration with the then West Pakistan forces in 1971, accused her of mass killing (up to 1,400 people including a large number of youths) in July-August countrywide uprising. It also issued a fresh arrest warrant for Hasina and some of her close associates. New Delhi has however ignored the repatriation demand from Dhaka and continued giving shelter to Hasina (though with some restrictions).
Lately, Dhaka introduced a series of new currency notes where the mandatory image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (widely recognized as Father of the Nation) has been replaced by natural landscapes, historic palaces, heritage sites (including Hindu and Buddhist temples), etc. The existing notes with the image of Hasina’s father continue to be in circulation and those will be reportedly wiped out in due course of time. However, while talking to this writer from Dhaka a number of journalists, revealed that the newly designed banknotes are yet to be available among the people. Admitting that they did not personally see those notes as those are not available in markets or bank ATMs, they assumed, probably a limited number of pieces were printed on an experimental basis. (European Times)