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Lessons learnt

Politicians on both sides had underestimated the other's capability of holding a fairly acceptable election or negating the process completely.

M. Sakhawat Hussain
LEGITIMACY in any elections is subject to a few conditions in which the process has to be legally, morally and socially acceptable. An election may be legally proper but if it lacks moral and social acceptability then the entire process losses credibility. In that measure, the just concluded 10th Parliament election, boycotted by the major opposition and majority of the registered political parties may not be acceptable. Question of moral acceptance would remain subject to the social debate as 153 out of 300 members of the Parliament have been elected unopposed. That means more
than 50 percent of the voters out of 9 crore 19 lacs have been deprived of the chance to chose their representative. In simple terms, that would weaken the government formed subsequently and it would not be able to emphatically claim the majority support of the people.
What the country witnessed in the pre-election days does not augur well for Bangladesh's politics. Many may attribute the blame for creation of such bloody pre, during and post election violence on government's actions, but the opposition alliance has to share the blame equally if not more. There were some opportunities offered by the government of Sheikh Hasina but what
is now evident is that the opposition had missed those opportunities. Perhaps the opposition had underestimated the tenacity of the government and overestimated their own street power. One may surmise that the politicians on both sides had underestimated the other's capability of holding a fairly acceptable election or negating the process completely. However, the opposition may take solace from the fact that the ruling party failed to manage a minimum presentable election to the people and the world.
The just concluded election can by no means be termed as representative as hardly 25 per cent, though the figure remains disputed, of the remaining
electorate voted for their candidates in 147 constituencies. That means that only a littlie over 1 crore voters, out of over 9 crore, had cast their votes. Thus on numbers alone the new government cannot claim to be representative apart from the fact that less than 40 percent registered political parties had participated.
This election and its result would remain as an inglorious chapter in the glorious history of Bangladesh Awami League. Therefore, it must take immediate step to rectify the folly it has made by calling for an inclusive 11th Parliament if not annulling the result of this questionable election. In fact no one could claim to be gainer out of this
election; rather the biggest loser is democracy. The other loser, perhaps a bigger one, is the Bangladesh Election Commission.
But one may still find some positives out of this exercise. First and foremost is the people's wish for a representative democratic system in which every voter is eager to participate. Second, we need to find a permanent solution to the disputed issue of election time government. Third, it is time to strengthen our democratic institutions and that needs national consensus. Let us not look back but take positive lessons out of the past follies for future redemption.
The writer is former election commissioner