With hardly 58 days to go for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections, poll fever starts gripping the people with office, remote area, tea stall, dinner table, and drawing room talk zeroing in on which political party will form the country’s next government.
Bangladesh therefore, is set to turn into a country of festivity while the race for the nomination has also garnered significant hype in all constituencies as the aspirants believe the next polls will be held on time. After meeting President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban in the capital Dhaka, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal categorically said that the schedule of the JS elections will be announced soon as the polls must be held before January 29.
The commission has an obligation of holding the elections before January 29 at any cost. During the meeting President asked the commission to play a responsible role with courage and sincerity to hold next national elections in a free, fair and credible manner following the Constitutional rules and
regulations.
So, the commission will have to ensure democratic and constitutional continuity in the country at any cost. The government is determined to hold a free, fair and credible election in Bangladesh. As part of the preparations, Awami League (AL) will start selling nomination forms among the aspirants. Jatiya Party will also field candidates in 300 seats in the upcoming general elections. They will not join hands with anyone. The party has already taken preparations for the elections alone.
Apart from AL and Jatiya Party, other political parties are also getting prepared to join the next polls. But, the leaders and workers of BNP have been unleashing a reign of terror across the country since October 28.
The government has given the country’s democracy a strong footing. It has done everything necessary to hold a fair election that includes introducing a voter list with photographs and transparent ballot boxes so that none can manipulate the polls.
Train of upcoming
election’ would not
wait for anyone
The government is also taking all preparations to set an example holding the next general election in a free and fair manner. To hold a free, fair and violence-free election, all irrespective of political affiliation should exhibit topmost sincerity.
The commission has been given absolute authority. The EC is constituted under a law and the prime minister does not appoint election commissioners.
It should be clear to all the ‘train of upcoming election’ would not wait for anyone and the polls will be held on time. So, BNP should stop their so-called one-point demand of toppling government.
The BNP should concentrate on how to join the upcoming national elections, otherwise it will be in deep crisis. If BNP does not shun the path of violence, the party will have to pay for their ‘political blunder.
In fact, BNP wants to foil the election process. They failed to do it in 2014. People would resist them with all the might they could muster if they try to foil the next elections as most of the countrymen support the Awami League.
Election is the only way to come to power or bring change as the politics of terror and violence in the name of movement can never deliver any good for the country, society and economy; rather, it makes the political atmosphere chaotic.
If the BNP tries to fish in troubled waters by making the country unstable, the country’s people will thwart its conspiracies. The people now understand that the negative politics of the BNP has has done much harm to the party.
The election is the most important aspect of reflecting public opinion in the democratic process. Through elections the voters choose their representatives by which people’s expectations are fulfilled. So, now all eyes from around the country are trained on the Election Commission, CEC and election commissioners as the 12th parliamentary polls are approaching nearer.