by Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee in The Daily Star, Jul 15, 2023
The ruling Awami League thinks the main challenge for the party does not stem from the BNP’s one-point movement, but from the possibility of BNP joining the national polls at the last minute.
Although the BNP says it will not take part in the polls under the Sheikh Hasina-led government, the AL leadership says the BNP has already started making preparations to contest the parliamentary polls, slated for January next year.
If the BNP finally joins the polls, the AL may face tough competition, say party insiders.
The AL leaders also think the BNP is finalising its candidates behind the scene, keeping the party’s existential crisis in mind.
They believe when the BNP sees the other political parties contesting the polls with Sheikh Hasina as the head of the polls-time administration, it too will decide to join.
The AL, therefore, is not at all bothered about dialogue with political parties, which has received much media attention over the past couple of months. And the ruling party will not take any initiative to bring the BNP to the polls, according to AL sources.
Instead, the ruling party is focusing all its attention on resolving intra-party feuds so that it can take part in the polls unitedly.
AL chief Sheikh Hasina told her party colleagues on many occasions that the upcoming national polls would be challenging for the party. She asked them to make all-out preparations for an election that would see the participation of all parties.
Party sources also say the AL feels relieved that the recent US delegation visit led by Uzra Zeya, under-secretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, went nicely.
Talking to this correspondent, ruling party leaders said Zeya, in her meeting with the prime minister, emphasised a free, fair and peaceful election but none of the US delegation members talked about participatory polls. They also said the issue of the caretaker government was not brought up in any of the meetings the delegation attended.
The ruling party believes even if the BNP boycotts the polls, other parties will not, according to sources close to the AL.
The government has repeatedly expressed its commitment to hold a free and fair election. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the same pledge to Zeya and the AL will convey the same message in its meeting with the visiting European delegation today, according to party leaders.
Contacted, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told The Daily Star that the US delegation’s recommendation for a free and fair election does not clash with the government’s stance on the next parliamentary elections.
About holding a dialogue with the BNP and other parties, he said just like participating in the elections is a democratic right, it is also a party’s right not to join the polls. “That’s why we will not make any effort to motivate the political parties to join the elections,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of the BNP joining the polls at the last minute, Hanif said the BNP is secretly taking preparation for the polls as the party has no other alternative.
“The BNP’s one-point movement is nothing but a strategy to inspire its leaders and activists ahead of the election,” he opined.
After a meeting at the party chief’s Dhanmondi office, referring to the US delegation, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said our foreign friends want free, fair and peaceful elections in Bangladesh and that they did not talk about participatory elections.
Alongside taking preparation for the polls, the AL will also take to the streets to show its strength and counter BNP’s anti-government movement, according to party insiders.
The AL has already decided to bring out processions on July 18 and 19 as part of its strategy to counter the BNP’s two-day street agitation.
In the run-up to the polls, the ruling party will hold election rallies at the district level, the first of which is scheduled to begin in Rangpur on July 30. AL President Sheikh Hasina will be the chief guest at the Rangpur rally, said party insiders.
Marking the national mourning day, the AL will hold discussions and other programmes across the country throughout the month of August and ensure maximum participation of its activists in those programmes.
The PM will inaugurate some mega projects in September and October, including the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli, the second phase of the metro rail operation from Agargaon to Motijheel, the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project and the Dhaka Elevated Expressway. Party insiders say the ruling party will publicise those achievements across the country.
In its nationwide electoral campaigns to be carried out in September, the ruling party will stress two things — one is the government’s achievements and the other is the misrule during the BNP-led four-party regime in 2001-2006.
In October, Hasina plans to make some important foreign trips. Upon her return, the party will go for all-out election preparations as party leaders expect the schedule for the 12th national polls to be announced in October. https://www.thedailystar.net/news/political/news/eyes-election-not-talks-or-movement-3369011
