The calamitous surprise for Awami League

The Gaibandha-5 election was ordinary. Heatless. The seat became vacant due to the death of former Deputy Speaker Advocate Fazle Rabbi Mia. As usual BNP did not participate in this election. Awami League's main opponent in this election was the National Party. On the polling day, the atmosphere in the constituency was quite peaceful. No disturbance was reported anywhere. In this October 12 by-election, CCTVs were installed inside the polling stations. The Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners were sitting in the Election Commission watching the polling situation on CCTV camera. It was as if CEC was catching a 'thief'. The Election Commission stopped taking votes in 50 centers by 11:30 am. With this decision of the commission, the rest of the candidates except the Awami League candidate announced boycotting the election. Like a planned script. The Chief Election Commissioner was eagerly waiting for such an 'auspicious moment'. Kazi Habibul Awal suspended the election with a formal notice. "The situation has gone out of control," he told media. The post of Chief Election Commissioner is constitutional. It is his constitutional duty to protect the voting rights of the people. Therefore, he can suspend the election. But there must be a factual and realistic reason for that. Was the situation really that bad in the Gaibandha-5 by-election? It is the responsibility of the returning officer to conduct an election. Did the Returning Officer request the Election Commission to suspend the polls? Presiding Officers perform duties at various polling stations. Did they say in writing or verbally that they do not have control over the polling station? Was there any election-related violence in Gaibandha? Was anyone injured or killed? No, the Returning Officer did not get any complaint related to the election. None of the presiding officers said the situation was out of control. So why and on what basis CEC suspended the Gaibandha-5 by-polls? Was there any other purpose behind it? The number of polling stations in Gaibandha is 145. For the sake of argument, let’s assume that there have been irregularities in 50 centers. So why the polling in the remaining 95 centers closed?

As a result, an almost insignificant by-election in Gaibandha became a national and international issue. The Election Commission has given a clear message to the country and abroad by suspending the polls. Awami League wants to win the polls by any means. Awami League rigged to win the election in such a way that the Election Commission was forced to stop the polls. For some time, BNP, civil society and some western countries including the United States have been talking in almost the same tone about the next parliamentary elections. BNP says that free, fair and impartial elections are not possible under this government. They are trying to create a movement on this claim. Civils say that elections should be fair and participatory. Which means, BNP must be brought to the election. And it seems like the election in Bangladesh is the biggest headache for the United States. The US Ambassador to Bangladesh came to the Election Commission several times. Sometimes alone sometimes with diplomats from allied countries. CEC has assured them. After these meetings, the new Election Commission changed its objectives. Not a free, fair and impartial election but the Election Commission wants to show that they do not care about anyone. They became desperate to prove that the Election Commission is impartial. A year and a half before the election, the Election Commission held a meeting with the DC-SPs on October 8. Why is there a meeting with DC SPs at this time? A DC or SP stays in a district for 2/3 years. Most of those who are holding these positions in different districts will be transferred before the next elections. Such meetings are usually held at the time of announcement of election schedule. Why did the Election Commission sing the winter songs in the monsoon? In this meeting, the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police made quite a bit noise. They protested when an election commissioner accused them of being bias. How does a person in constitutional office make accusations of bias against republican servants? To get applause? Or to please someone? During the election period (whatever the election may be) those who perform the duties are under the Election Commission. If someone actually behaves in a biased manner, then that’s a violation of discipline. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to take action against those who have committed such acts. But instead of doing so, there is another motive behind such accusations.

Before the heat of that event could calm, the election commission showed this bravery in the Gaibandha-5 by-election. Tried to prove that it has a backbone. In order to prove its backbone, the Election Commission actually made Awami League a 'vote thief'. The purpose of this needs a clarification. This can be explained in many ways. Some pro-BNP intellectuals are calling it a staged drama. According to them, the election commission actually set a trap by stopping the polls in this unimportant election. The Election Commission has shown how powerful they are nationally and internationally. Don't care about the government. They can suspend an election with one declaration. This is not Rakib or Huda Commission. As a result, the United States, the European Union will say, wow! Amazing. What a powerful election commission. It will convince the opposition that there is no need for a caretaker government. You can go for election under this commission. We are here also. Gaibandha election actually became a trap to bring BNP and other untrusted parties to the election. However, this statement of the clever intellectuals of BNP is not acceptable. By the speech of some Awami League leaders after the election, it seemed that Awami League was shocked, surprised and stunned. It’s like the election commission slapped the Awami League on the face for no reason. In 1991, Magura, Mirpur constituencies were elected under BNP. Incidents like encroachment of polling stations, looting of ballot boxes, changing of votes have taken place that time. But the then Chief Election Commissioner fled from Magura in a helicopter and said 'I am helpless.' That one word of Justice Rauf caused damage to BNP, but now in 2022 the damage done to Awami League due to the suspension of polls in Gaibandha is much greater than that. Does anyone knowingly harm themselves?

After this incident, BNP will get chance to speak a lot on their behalf. Which the BNP leaders have already started. After the Election Commission's action in Gaibandha, a major evidentiary argument for the caretaker government emerged for the BNP. Awami League is in possession of almost the entire parliament. Where they don’t want to lose in a single election. Wants to win by rigging. If Awami League is so desperate and careless for one seat, then how is an impartial election of 300 seats possible under this government? BNP says, look, even the Election Commission who is loyal to Awami League, could not tolerate the excesses of their vote rigging and was forced to call off the elections. If this is the situation now, what will happen in the 300-seat election? That is why a caretaker government is a must need. BNP is also saying that Awami League wants to win the election by force, which was proved in Gaibandha. After 2018, all the allegations that were made against the Awami League of taking away the voting rights, it's like the election commission announced its verdict on that by suspending the polls in Gaibandha. Told all the truth. Awami League is rogue in the voting field.

But the calculation of politics is not that simple. The complex calculations of politics are often incomprehensible. After 1975, the Awami League was deceived into trusting various 'neutral' so-called clean people. Awami League came to power in 1996 under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina after 21 years. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wanted to keep the post of President neutral, to develop it as an institution. That is why she ran to former Chief Justice Sahabuddin Ahmed. He was made the president. But how the late Justice Sahabuddin has embarrassed and disgraced the Awami League, history will bear its witness. Awami League made former bureaucrat MA Saeed the Chief Election Commissioner as he was considered to be efficient and competent. But the way he used all power against the Awami League candidates in the October 2001 elections was unfair and unprecedented. It is as if disciplining Awami League is the only criterion to prove neutrality. In 2001, another former Chief Justice Latifur Rahman was made the head of the non-partisan caretaker government. Awami League expected him to perform his duty in an honest and impartial manner. But before taking the oath, he consulted with the pro-BNP intellectuals. By transferring 13 secretaries within 13 minutes of assuming office, he proved that working against Awami League is neutrality. In 2007, it was the new businessmen who came to One Eleven and filed a false and dirty case against the Awami League president. Influential lawyers who have suddenly become Awami Leaguers have refused to fight the case on behalf of Sheikh Hasina. In 2009, Awami League had to face a surprise even after coming to power for the second time. The caretaker government led by Dr. Fakhruddin took the initiative to remove a judge due to corruption. At that time corrupt judges were invited for tea at Bangabhaban. There he would have been forced to resign, this procedure is unacceptable, unfair. But Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was invited to one such tea. From there Justice Sinha was saved by the intervention of a powerful lawyer. The whole court knew that he was corrupt. But the Awami League government appointed him as the Chief Justice. Justice Sinha almost made a constitutional coup. A verdict declaring the current government illegal was also prepared and given to him. In the end, Awami League was saved from the Sinha conspiracy by a lot of struggle. Awami League was shocked by the behavior of Justice Shahabuddin. Latifur Rahman, MA Said surprised the Awami League. Justice Sinha stunned the Awami League. Such so-called "trustworthy" "principles" are secretly carrying knives for Awami League. Waiting for an opportunity to ambush. Did Awami League get a message like that in Gaibandha? Last Sunday Bangladesh daily editor Naem Nizam wrote a unique, extraordinary, valuable editorial entitled 'Can Awami League deal with rumors'. The beginning of the writing was like 'Have you ever thought how dangerous the person next to you is? ....The damage is done by our own people.' After the incident of Gaibandha, I re-read the article of friend Naem Nizam after seeing the dangerous surprise of Awami League leaders. A real example of his writing happened so quickly. Many will disagree with me. Many might ask, then did the Awami League wanted a loyal trusted one as the Chief Election Commissioner, who will work for Awami League? That is not the case at all. Awami League appointed Kazi Habibul Awal as Chief Election Commissioner out of the expectation of impartiality. He will not surrender to any pressure, temptation, fear, from that optimism. But the new commission is trying to prove itself strong by opposing Awami. What is to be seen now is that what surprise Election Commission brings in order to prove itself neutral and beloved of western countries, BNP and the civils. How much CEC goes over the Awami League to gain their trust. Gaibandha by-election is also a warning for Awami League. After the 2018 election, a bunch of garbage appeared in the Awami League. They started a terrible game of destroying the electoral system to win by any means. Some of the by-elections this time have been excellent. But many wanted to be elected unopposed after receiving the nomination. A veteran physician gets nominated. After receiving the nomination, he successfully implemented the plan to push away other candidates. The mentality of winning by force was also seen in some places. Getting nominated by Awami League is like winning the lottery. A disease of vying for nomination has infected the Awami League. They got the message in Gaibandha that it is important to move out from this. In order to win elections, you have to go to the people. There is no alternative to this. But some Awami League members forgot this. Gaibandha by-election is a warning message for Awami League. But no matter how careful Awami League is, no matter how interested it is in conducting fair elections, if the Election Commission wants to, it will make everything bogus. Gaibandha by-election is a small example of the fact that they can do it very easily. Who will do what if the commission does one after another incident like Gaibandha in the upcoming elections and by-elections? If the Election Commission says, this government does not want fair elections, then the civil society and the West will jump in. Many events will happen before the national elections and that hint was found in Gaibandha. Many more surprises are waiting for Awami League in the upcoming elections.

However, the Gaibandha by-election has opened the door to a significant idea. In the last thirteen years, various opportunists have taken a seat in the boat of Awami League. They have become bigger Awami Leaguers than Sheikh Hasina. Some of them have become the rulers of the government. Sometimes it seems that they are everything. Many bureaucrats now behave like Awami League leaders. Overzealous in the police unnecessarily incited the opposition. Many people are shocked to see the influence of people who have lost their security by electing against the Awami League and have now become the policy makers of the government. Their U-turn is only a matter of time. This message was received through the suspension of Gaibandha by polls. Crisis is increasing in the country. Load shedding is becoming alarming. Those who suddenly became influential are not taking responsibility. Bureaucrats have taken responsibility to deal with the economic crisis. Bureaucrats are going to the World Bank IMF meeting leaving the finance minister in the country. Those who suddenly become dear to the government are now dominating. Will they also take a U-turn ahead? The concern is getting bigger and bigger. One thing must be remembered, no one is 'my man' in difficult times except the beaten, jailed, oppressed idealistic grassroots workers. The guest of the well time disappears in bad times only with the spectacle of deception.