After Hasina boycott, India calls for free and fair Bangla polls

With Awami League head and former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina today announcing that her party will boycott the January 22 elections questioning the impartiality of the caretaker administration in Dhaka

With Awami League head and former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina today announcing that her party will boycott the January 22 elections questioning the impartiality of the caretaker administration in Dhaka, India today called for “free, fair, credible and democratic” elections in Bangladesh that does not cast a doubt over neutrality in the minds of the electorate.

“The election machinery in Bangladesh should inspire confidence in its neutrality in the mind of the electorate,’’ said the MEA spokesperson while responding to queries on Hasina’s decision to boycott the polls. At the same time, however, India has been a little surprised over Awami League’s pre-poll alliance with the Islamic fundamentalist party Khelafat-e-Majhlis. New Delhi has made it clear that as a neighbour, it would like to see Bangladesh remain “peaceful, democratic and stable”.

Sources said India is keen that there are polls in Bangladesh with the participation of all political parties but given the apprehensions that the main Opposition alliance has with Bangladesh President Iajuddin Khan, who is the chief advisor on the conduct of polls, it is important for Dhaka to ensure that the January 22 polls do not lose credibility.

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Hasina has been raising doubts over Khan’s impartiality but today she demanded his resignation after former Bangladesh president HM Ershad was disallowed from contesting elections. She alleged that the atmosphere was not one of free and fair polls.

According to the Bangladesh Constitution, a caretaker administration takes over for 90 days after polls are announced to ensure impartial conduct of elections. Hasina has been alleging that Iajuddin Ahmed has ear of BNP leader Khaleda Zia. Her allegations have had an echo in the international community that have been pressing hard for transparent polls in Bangladesh.

But with Hasina tying up with Khelfat-e-Majhlis, there is also discomfort in her traditional votebank of secular voters. Many civil society forums have approached her to reconsider the alliance with a fundamentalist party that supports the Taliban. She has, however, maintained that the tie-up will not dilute the secular agenda of the Awami League alliance.

The other concern in New Delhi is that a pullout by Hasina will end up giving a free run to Zia, who has already gained on campaigning time after she delayed her decision to participate in the elections.

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