Dhaka, Oct 26 (PTI) Bangladesh is yet to see a “favourable environment” for the upcoming polls in January, a top election official said on Thursday, warning that in the event of voting irregularities, the entire poll process would be suspended and held afresh.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Habibul Awal’s remarks came in response to escalating tensions in the capital Dhaka over simultaneous rallies announced by the ruling and opposition parties in a show of strength.
“We want to organise the election. As the organiser, we would like to say, the favourable environment we were expecting has not been achieved yet,” Awal told reporters.
He, however, said his office was preparing to conduct the polls as scheduled.
Asked what measures the commission would take if the polls were not conducted properly and there were widespread irregularities.
“In such a scenario, I would have no choice but to suspend the election process across the entire country. Subsequently, new elections would be organised. We have to take this measure (if required),” he replied.
Amid growing tensions in Dhaka over simultaneous rallies called by the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the capital on October 28, authorities have intensified security vigils.
The BNP said it would hold the October 28 rally in front of the central party office in Nayapaltan, to which police said no political party would be allowed to stage rallies on any street.
The Awami League also sought police permission to stage the rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram, to which the police also suggested two alternative venues.
The ruling party, however, told the police it will hold it “peace rally” at the proposed venue.
“The people are not frightened with their (government’s) ‘war preparedness’ and intimidating attitude,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
Awami League general secretary and road transport minister Obaidul Quader, on the other hand, said the BNP programmes or the foreign activities could not mount any pressure on the government.
“We feel no pressure,” he said at a news briefing.
The CEC’s comments came amid speculation that the opposition BNP demands the restoration of the election time non-party caretaker government system, under which four elections from 1991 to 2008 were held.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party is against reintroducing the caretaker government system which requires amending the Constitution again.
The BNP and its right-wing allies said they would not take part in any election under the incumbent government, saying they fear there will be rigging.
Law minister Anisul Huq on Thursday reinforced the government’s stance, saying after the declaration of the election schedule by the election commission, the incumbent government would start performing as the ‘election-time government’.
He told reporters that the Supreme Court has declared that the caretaker government system is in conflict with the constitutional spirit and requires the government to scrap the arrangement and amend the Constitution again, which is not possible.
Major Western nations including the United States have insisted that there be fair, credible and inclusive polls in Bangladesh. PTI AR MRJ MRJ MRJ
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