At a seminar titled ‘Can People Vote Freely’, they said their apprehension was based on the existing election atmosphere where an uneven election field for oppositions, they observed, was prevailing in absence of neutral Election Commission, administration and law enforcement agencies.
Centre for Governance Studies organised the seminar at BIISS Auditorium in the capital.

Bangladesh Political Science Association president and CGS chairman M Ataur Rahman said, ‘There was influence of money and muscle in election in the past but now we are witnessing predatory power of state institutions like Election Commission, administration and law enforcement agencies against oppositions.’

‘Such predatory behaviour by the state mechanism against oppositions would destroy the country,’ he warned.

In his keynote speech, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said Election Commission’s neutrality was still ‘questionable’ as it so far failed to ‘dismantle’ the government’s ‘pre-set’ field administration.

The law enforcement agencies’ partisan behaviour was an ‘obstacle’ to holding a fair election, he said.

He said thousands of cases, arrests, enforced disappearances of oppositions created a ‘dreadful atmosphere’ which was hindering the election environment.

‘Over 90,000 cases against 26 lakh opposition activists have made a dreadful environment for BNP activists,’ Badiul Alam said.

He said the media, which could play a vital role in giving the field-level picture of election atmosphere, were ‘controlled’ and many resorted to ‘self-censorship’.

The existing parliament and the government in power made the election field even more uneven for the oppositions, he said.
‘If EC cannot overcome distrust of people by neutrality and bold behaviour, the December 30 election will be another controversial election,’ said Badiul Alam.

‘And if the candidates cannot survive in the field and voters are denied their rights to vote, the nation will enter into a disastrous crisis,’ he warned.

Former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain said, ‘Pre-electoral period shows how the electoral period will be and the assessment of this time is telling how the election is going to be held.’

‘Common people still ask if the election will be held at all. It tells a lot about how the election is going to be held,’ he said.
Jatiya Party faction secretary general Sheikh Shahidul Islam said that the result of December 30 elections was ‘known’ and also ‘known’ was how the election would be.

‘The election is for deciding who is going to be opposition,’ he said, hinting that Awami League was going to win the election anyhow.

Writer Syed Abul Maksud said that fair and peaceful elections were possible only if the voters were able to go to polling centres.

‘The government has “castrated” the opposition,’ he said, urging the EC officials, judiciary and administration to see their faces in mirror.

Dhaka University law professor Asif Nazrul said the voters would go to polling centres if the elections were held in a participatory manner.

Former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain said there were a lot of concerns about fair elections.

BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said obstacles were created everywhere by EC, administration and law enforcement agencies so that the oppositions could not participate in the polls.
‘It’s a big question how we can overcome these obstacles,’ he said.

Awami League advisory committee member Yusuf Hossain Humayun assured that there was no reason for giving up hope for fair elections.

Jatiya Oikya Front leader and Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury said the sail of the boat (Awami League’s election symbol) would collapse if a minimum fair election was held on December 30.