Can Bangladesh’s Election Commission Act to Boost Its Credibility? – The Diplomat

In February 2023, Bangladesh’s Election Fee (EC) marked its first 12 months in workplace. Since Bangladesh is lower than 12 months away from holding its subsequent normal election, it’s pertinent to evaluate the challenges the EC faces in organizing a nationwide election that’s acceptable to all political events as free and truthful.

Bangladesh’s 2014 and 2018 normal elections had been marred by controversy. The opposition boycotted the 2014 election, and most liberal democracies known as for a re-election. The ruling Awami League (AL) argued that the election was essential to avert a constitutional disaster. Nevertheless, China and India, two highly effective allies of Bangladesh’s present regime, didn’t object to the election.

Not like the 2014 election, the opposition contested within the 2018 election, however the vote was allegedly extensively rigged. The AL bagged over 96 p.c of the full votes forged. There have been a number of irregularities, together with studies of AL members and police stuffing ballots for the ruling get together and voter intimidation, and these had been widespread. Transparency Worldwide discovered extreme irregularities in 47 of the 50 constituencies it investigated.

Nevertheless, the context for the upcoming election is extra sophisticated than the earlier ones. On December 10, 2021, Bangladesh’s influential growth companion, the USA, levied sanctions on Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary drive, the Speedy Motion Battalion (RAB), and 6 of its officers, together with present and former police chiefs, for critical human rights violations. Notably, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Bangladesh officers on the identical day it levied sanctions on North Korean and Chinese language officers. The US additionally didn’t invite Bangladesh to its democracy summits.

In latest occasions, main liberal democracies and Bangladesh’s main growth companions, together with EU international locations, the U.Ok., the U.S., and Japan, have publicly reiterated the necessity for Bangladesh to carry the following normal election in a free and truthful method.

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In mid-February 2023, State Division Counsellor Derek Chollet emphasised a free and truthful election at a gathering with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Chollet later flagged that additional erosion of democracy in Bangladesh could restrict U.S. cooperation with Bangladesh.

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP) is organizing a sequence of countrywide protest rallies demanding an election below a impartial caretaker authorities. The AL has made it clear that they haven’t any intention of assembly that demand, claiming {that a} caretaker authorities opens areas for a army takeover. It’s referring to the military-backed caretaker authorities that dominated the nation for nearly two years from 2006 to 2008.

In opposition to this backdrop, the EC’s path in direction of organizing a free and truthful election doesn’t appear clean. Notably, it faces three important challenges forward.

First, the present EC should exhibit its independence from authorities affect. Hasina has publicly reiterated that the EC is impartial. In its actions, the EC must exhibit that.

In latest by-elections in six parliamentary constituencies, ruling get together members had been seen to take management of polling facilities. The state equipment was used to intimidate opposition candidates, and an opposition candidate was mysteriously disappeared earlier than the election solely to be “discovered” later. In all these circumstances, the EC couldn’t exhibit that it’s a impartial group that acts independently.

Secondly, the EC appears adamant about finishing up its procedural operations slightly than addressing the moral aspect of the procedural obligations. Presently, the EC is specializing in organizing an election however not doing a lot on making the following election free, truthful, and inclusive. EC officers have mentioned a number of occasions that it isn’t eager to carry dialogue with the opposition BNP because the BNP is pursuing an agenda of an election below a caretaker authorities. Such an strategy won’t assist EC to spice up its credibility.

Lastly, the most important problem earlier than the EC is to deliver again voters’ confidence within the election course of. The election was an occasion of celebration in Bangladesh the place voters used to sit up for voting. Festivity across the election marketing campaign and excessive voter turnout had been signature election scenes when voters perceived elections as free and truthful.

Nevertheless, in latest occasions, Bangladeshi voters have seemingly misplaced curiosity in voting in opposition to widespread vote rigging and election consequence fixing. In consequence, voter turnout was low within the latest by-elections. One heart recorded solely a 16 p.c voter turnout, whereas the precise quantity could also be a lot decrease.

An analogous situation has emerged within the 2020 mayoral elections within the two largest cities in Bangladesh – Dhaka, the capital, and the port metropolis of Chattogram. Lower than 30 p.c of voters turned as much as train their franchise.

Voter apathy won’t solely put the credibility of the EC in additional jeopardy, but in addition such voting habits will make it tougher for the ruling AL to say the legitimacy of the following election as free and truthful. The EC ought to have interaction in a large marketing campaign to woo voters and go all out to deliver the BNP and different opposition events on board the following election. That is important to avert an election disaster.