Nobody wants another Magura

This decision has accorded legitimacy to Netrokona election. It surely has created a great expectation and has provided an important opportunity. Truly free, fair and peaceful Netrokona-3 by-election can show some light of democracy at the end of the dark tunnel of undemocratic practices, which has vitiated the political environment obtaining now in Bangladesh. The vital question is: will it be possible to ensure fundamental democratic rights and privileges of the voters of this Kendua-Atpara constituency? Will they be able to go to the polling centres freely without being blocked by party hooligans? Can they stay at the centres peacefully, stamp the ballot paper in secrecy and stuff it themselves in the box? Or will the cadres capture the polling centres, stamp and stuff all the ballot papers in favour of the candidate of their choice? Will the voters be spared abuses and assaults later? Will violence, destruction, burning and looting be prevented on the days after the polls? Will they be able to stay home after the polls? These are very serious questions today, fresh in the minds of the people of Kendua and Atpara upazilas. All of these violations occurred in about fifteen polling centres during October 1, 2001 polls. In Atpara thana all five centres of Sukhari union, two of Duaz and three of Teligati were subjected to well-planned and total vote rigging during the last general elections. In Kendua thana, Batta centre of Chirang union was completely captured. This place is just about eight kilometres from Kendua Police Station. The facts of widespread rigging are widely known to all in the area. In fact people of about 10 centres in Atpara, the most affected, are still suffering from October-1 syndrome. Voter attendance in these centres and in Batta is expected to be very thin, should the threat of insecurity continue. These voters constitute both Muslims and Hindus.

It was not so in early days. Till 1991 the election process was generally free and fair. Kendua-Atpara will make an interesting case study as to how a relatively democratic environment and peaceful electoral atmosphere in rural Bangladesh gets vitiated contributing to degeneration of democratic polity and culture at grassroots level over the last seven years or so.

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Like Magura, Netrokona can be an important landmark in our recent electoral history. The fallout was negative then. Having learnt the lessons, if we have, and if we really want the democratic values and culture to progress, it is necessary to prevent all that had happened in Magura. It has assumed greater importance now at Netrokona due to two other reasons. One, the Awami League had declared the general election of October 1, 2001 as a rigged election. The caretaker government as well as the Election Commission were blamed for it. Now BNP-Jamaat Jote government and the Election Commission will come under powerful microscope, both the Awami one and that of the other political forces and of the neutral observers, national and overseas. Two, Kendua-Atpara were subjected to severe rigging. Will that be done again? Nobody can be sure. Vested interest is involved. Government is saying that it will be free and fair. But ground realities are otherwise.

If the government and the Election Commission are really sincere and serious, it can be truly made free and fair. The number of centres are only 124. Each centre can be given full attention with static forces. Merely deploying mobile magistrates and law enforcing agencies in large numbers is not enough. Lot of voters have already been intimidated. They have already been told, if they go to the polling centre, they will be seen through the days after. The rigging masters' tactics will change due to large forces' presence. They may plan to ensure minimal voter presence, organise false voting and carry out stuffing of the ballot boxes in the quiet. Game plan includes both intimidation and buying off of officials wherever possible inside the booths. These could be prevented if the government tells the ruling party activists to completely lay their hands off any of the allegedly rigging tricks. If they emphatically tell them that they will get no support whatsoever. Tell the law enforcing agencies to restore confidence among the voters and encourage them to come for polling. The military can play a vital role. They can tell them that no one, not even the BNP workers, will be spared, as they did not spare them during Operation Clean Heart. Further, they should continue to stay in the post election violence prone areas as long as it is needed. Such areas are not much. Just about 12-15 centres.

No one should be allowed to vitiate the election atmosphere. The daily Inqilab reported an Islamic leader saying that winning this seat is a prestige issue for the government. This is unfortunate. It must not be seen as such. Neither the BNP nor the Awami League gains or loses anything. The country and the people will lose much if the BNP tries to force a win. The Awami League does not have the means or the power to force a win. Therefore the onus squarely lies with the government. The government must also realise that the bitter memory of political turmoil and instability, and the price we all had to pay for it is still fresh.

It is worth saying repeatedly that we do not want another Magura. If it happens the government will have to bear full responsibility. Yet saying not enough. Building democracy is too serious a business to be left alone to the government and the politicians. The civil society can play a prominent non-partisan role in preventing the downward drift of democracy in Bangladesh. Netrokona-3 provides such an opportunity. If they want they can take it up as a start point. Lamenting in the Dhaka seminars is not enough. There is still time to get the acts together. Devise ways and means to create pressure on the government by all concerned as well as organising very large-scale national observers groups. Some groups may come independently to Netrokona and post themselves at chosen centres. Details can still be worked out. It is all for a day. They could oversee the party workers, the magistrates, the polling officials, the police, the military and the paramilitary. Independent groups' presence itself and due publicity can do a lot. And much greater media attention is actually needed. Reporting on issues involved in this election is still missing. Not enough analytical work has been published yet. Definitely it needs much greater focus.

The stake is really great. It is not just a seat of the parliament. It is how we will pass the next couple of years. Whether democratic polity will take root or not. Netrokona can take us one little step further. Whether instability will usher in adventurism. And not the least, whether peace and security of the poor peaceful rural people of Kendua-Atpara can be restored. People really do not want Magura enacted and will hold the government responsible for the fallout. Considering the stakes, should we not get our little acts together?

General Amin, a former Ambassador to Russia, Brazil and Jordan, is a Member of the Advisory Council of Bangladesh Awami League and President of Kurigram District Awami League.