Election Time Politics in Bangladesh

Writer: Akhter Hossain Category: প্রবন্ধ (Essay) Edition: Dhaboman - Fall 2018

Bangladesh is a multi party parliamentary democracy. After a few years of independence, the system of government was changed into presidential form. From the early 90’s the country reverted back to the parliamentary system by amending the Constitution. The tenure of the elected government is five years. The political parties in Bangladesh need to register with the Bangladesh Election Commission, a Constitutional institution. The registration is mandatory for a political party to contest in the national election. However, of all these political parties it is perceived that only four of them are major or prominent political parties. They include, the Awami League the current party in power, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), The Jatiyo Party (JP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. However, on 1 August 2013 the Supreme Court of Bangladesh declared the registration of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami illegal with the ruling that the party is unfit to contest national elections. All these political parties at some point of time or other held state powers either individually or as part of political alliances. Here it needs to be mentioned that only Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was a junior partner in the alliance government that was led by the BNP. The other three political parties have always been the leading partners of the alliances that formed governments. The context of the formation of all these political parties have been different as well as their ideologies that have influenced the shaping the political history of Bangladesh. As political parties these are the major players in the election fray and contenders for the state powers. However, due to some historic developments in the political arena some other elements as alleged have been playing somewhat controversial roles in politics especially during election time. These elements include the civil society institutions and their members, professional groups and leaders of political parties almost having no popular support bases and politicians of bygone days with scanty popular base or acceptance. Others also include the international NGOs having local chapters in Bangladesh and some national think tanks as well. Here it should be mentioned that all these organizations both national and international are in overwhelming cases funded by foreign sources. 

In Bangladesh, after a general election the winner political party or alliance assume the reign of the government for five years according to the provisions of the Constitution. This five year tenure of an elected government has to go through a cycle of events or phases that have some specific and special characteristics. The first starts with the declaration of the election result. It may be called the rejection or denial phase. The election result is termed by the losers as fraud and manipulated and they tend to reject it. In this midst, the winner party or alliance forms the government.  This rejection or denial phase continues for quite some time and ultimately the new government receives acceptance both in home and abroad. The next phase or cycle starts as soon as the new government starts the governance process by formulating policies and enacting necessary laws to fulfill election promises stated in the election manifesto of the party or the alliance. The opposition parties in most of the cases out rightly reject these new initiatives terming them as anti people and in some cases term those as against the paramount interest of the state itself. Rallies, meetings, hartals (though this measure is losing its appeal in recent time) and in extreme cases blockade or Oborodh with widespread violence and arsons are committed as protest against the actions of the government. In reality, all out efforts are unleashed or resorted to thwart every initiative of the party or alliance in power.This kind of situation continues till the end of fourth year of the incumbent government and the final phase of the cycle begins from the fifth or the final year of the tenure of the government. This phase is the most crucial and problematic in the political history of Bangladesh especially since the restoration of democracy in the early 90’s. This last phase of the political cycle is marked or characterized by the entry of all sorts of 

elements including civil society mentioned earlier in the political process to raise various questions about the forthcoming election and the Bangladesh Election Commission. These include its legitimacy, capacity and above all neutrality in holding elections especially parliamentary election. Other noteworthy activities during this particular phase is the defaming of the political parties particularly the ruling party or the alliance and the process and networking with opposition parties and others including a certain section of the civil society. All these are alleged to be done with the sole purpose of influencing the electoral process to bring in political party of their choice to power and grab a share of the state power or benefits for playing the role of an ally of the said process. The other intention, in extreme case, if possible, to bring in unconstitutional forces to power for an interim period to hold the election the way they prefer to have their desired outcome.


The development of the above culture in Bangladesh has historical basis. It all started with the overthrow of the Bangabandhu government in August 1975 by killing him along with his family members and close associates (November) by some disgruntled military officers with alleged support from the defeated forces of 1971. This heinous path to change the government was chosen as they very well knew that through fair electoral process Bangabandhu and his government could not be dislodged. Their objectives were political rehabilitation and grabbing of the state power to fashion the new born country in line with the Pakistani model for the preservation of which they fought tooth and nail and collaborated with the Pakistanis that led to the killing of three million innocent people. For others like political elements with no popular base and certain section of the intelligentsias and professionals such situation creates opportunities for them to be catapulted to high political offices and start a new political career. This opportunity was provided by General Zia and General Ershad when they floated political parties namely the BNP and the JP to legitimize their unconstitutional rules. Both these parties when formed included in large number the elements mentions earlier. These ventures by the military rulers have created a culture of opportunism in politics devoid of any ethics, value and morality. It is alleged that this culture was further aggravated with the introduction and misuse of the provision of the Caretaker System of Government that was later added to the Constitution of Bangladesh. However, this provision was amended as the apex court declared it as ultra vires to the Constitution. But such culture once developed especially in developing countries persists for long time and can only be changed with sustained practice and continuation with the provisions of the Constitution regarding holding of general election for peaceful change of government and transfer of state powers to the winning political party or alliance.


Bangladesh is going have the general election to elect a new parliament hopefully by the end of this year or early next year. This is the last year of the present government and political scene with all likelihood will become quite volatile with demands and counter demands of maintaining neutrality of the election process from the perspectives of the contending political parties and others who see opportunities for them by creating confusions and controversies about the whole election process. The continuation of such culture will always remain as a threat to democracy and usurpation of the state power by unconstitutional and or non elected entities. The sad consequences of such culture are the derailment of the constitutional political process, new entrants in politics with no noteworthy political background and commitment, rehabilitation of rejected politicians having no popular support base and or dubious track record and finally creation of division in the polity.


The writer is a Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Dhaka and Member, National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh.


(All opinion in this article are writer’s alone.)