BNP’s continued culture of election boycott poses a serious threat to a democratic society. This culture of boycott is undoubtedly pernicious to NBP itself as it is isolated from the mass people. The party is getting derailed from the country’s mainstream politics gradually due to its frequent boycotting of national and other polls, and for its of nurturing communalism, extremism and anti-liberation forces.
The party did not take part in the 2014’s polls and also tried to run away from the 2018’s elections. However, later they took part in the polls after a lot of dramas.
It (BNP) also boycotted the country’s 12th national parliamentary elections held on January 7 this year. As the party did not participate in the last general polls, it faced a crisis of existence.
It is not the sole responsibility of some political parties including the ruling Awami League to establish or strengthen democracy. It is the responsibility of all the parties to sustain a democratic system by joining polls. As per high command order, the BNP has decided not to participate in upcoming upazila elections, warning anyone found breaching party directives to stay away from the upazila polls would be expelled immediately. The central command’s order to boycott local body polls generated a mixed reaction from the grassroots level.
Defying the party’s decision, many leaders of the BNP are taking part in the first phase of the upazila polls across the country. The BNP has expelled 75 of its grassroots-level leaders for taking part in the first phase of the upazila polls in defiance of the party's decision to boycott the elections to the local bodies so far. Among the defying leaders, 24 are vying for the post of upazila chairman while 21 for the vice-chairman post and 19 for the position of female vice-chairman.
BNP Central
command’s order to
boycott local body polls generated a mixed
reaction from the grassroots level
We think the BNP’s call for boycotting election has become ineffective as joyous and festive moods are prevailing centring the upcoming upazila elections after the general polls. BNP finds excuses for staying away from polls because of their apprehension to lose the elections.
Simultaneously, the party also became isolated from the mass people as it does not have representation in the present parliament and local bodies. They are party activists, supporters and leaders, but they are also voters; so, prohibiting them from going to the polling stations is unacceptable and unfortunate.
As a result, the party’s firm determination to turn around and bring qualitative changes within the party, remain far away mainly due to bitterness and rancour among the party ranks and files. All know that country’s last national national elections were held in accordance with the Constitution like in other democratic countries in the world. There will be no benefit in heating up the field over this and the party should join polls if it wants to sustain in the politics of Bangladesh.
To this end, the political parties have focused on strengthening the grassroots across the country by forming new committees in various organisational units. But like in the past, the senior leaders of BNP this time also are saying that their party would not join any election under the current Awami League government.
It does mean, the BNP is afraid of elections and people as it never respects the verdict of the people. The party now in association with the Jamaat-e-Islami is out to fish in troubled waters by creating unrest in the country again.
In fact, the political stance of BNP, which was born in the womb of illegitimate seizure of power and dictatorship and was run through a cycle of conspiracy, is always against the democratic norms and constitutional process. It does not believe in the power of mass people as it is searching for a clandestine alley to go to the power.
For this, they have a tendency to run away from the elections. The BNP must shun the path of boycotting polls to sustain its existence.