Anyway, in order to create a semblance of ‘inclusiveness’ by going beyond the prevailing definitions, aspiring candidates other than those nominated by the ruling party have also been given scope to contest the elections. Concessions have been made to accommodate these candidates, known as ‘dummy candidates’. 26 so-called parties have also joined them, whose names have never been heard before except three or four. We also see leaders of many parties in the ruling party alliance contesting the elections under the ruling party symbol instead of using their own symbols.
The government has agreed to give 26 seats to the Jatiya Party, which was once the third largest party in the country. But there are also ‘independent’ and ‘dummy’ candidates in those constituencies. With the ruling party’s ‘dummy’ candidates and so-called independent candidates emerging as quite strong contenders, the Jatiya Party and its allies using the ‘boat’ election symbol are now worried about their future.
So far, 76 candidates nominated or supported by the Jatiya Party have withdrawn from the election. He says that he has taken this decision due to hasty decisions taken by the leaders. It remains to be seen how many of this party remain in the field apart from the 26 who have been included in the agreement.
According to news reports, all measures will be taken to ensure the victory of some splinter candidates from the BNP and some “King’s parties”. It is doubtful whether this will be reflected in the ruling party’s new definition of free, fair and credible elections. The role of the Election Commission has to be seen in this regard. But it is unlikely that they will be able to do anything.
I am highlighting some important aspects of this ‘innovative’ choice which can serve as material for future research. First of all, it is not mandatory to cast your vote in Bangladesh. That is why the ruling party has adopted various strategies to increase the vote percentage of its nominated candidates, including intimidation tactics and threats of withholding benefits and allowances provided by the state.
The ruling party has also trained about 200,000 workers to transport voters to polling stations, the newspaper reported. So many voters are not coming to the centers voluntarily due to fear. But it remains to be seen how they will vote and whom they will vote for. There are allegations that law enforcement agencies, especially officers in-charge of police stations, have also been given this responsibility. And this is the first election where there is no restriction on cars and other vehicles. It is difficult to say how much success the Election Commission expects to achieve by merely banning motorbikes.
Now let me present here some thoughts regarding this new style of election. This election is not being held to decide which party will run the country because there is no doubt in the country and abroad about what the election results will be. It remains to be seen who will be the opposition in Parliament. It may be an opposition consisting of independents or an independent coalition under an unknown party, or the opposition may also be an abbreviated form of a Jatiya Party. The question will also arise that if there are 60 to 70 independent candidates, will they cast their weight on the ruling party or the opposition?
