The Coalition for Human Rights & Democracy in Bangladesh (CHRD Bangladesh) strongly condemns the farcical election held on January 7th, 2024 in the name of the “12th National Election” in Bangladesh. The ruling Awami League (AL) with a few of its chosen minor partners participated with the aid of more than half a million military, law enforcement forces and thousands of own party operatives.
The political opposition, including the largest Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and more than sixty others, boycotted this Awami League partisan show. They continued to vehemently demand the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, illegally usurping power since 2009, and the election to be managed under a non-partisan, neutral caretaker government (CTG). The general public had little interest in this enforced one-sided franchise, which was a replay of the 2014 and 2018 combined farce that was rejected nationally and internationally. At the end of the day, the AL loyal Chief Election Commissioner acknowledged the voter percentage to be 28%, quickly fumbling to upgrade to 40% when prodded by an aide. In absence of the opposition challenge, the outcome was not unknown. The competition, if any, was within their own players.
A few sponsored observers saw what they were allowed to see and certified it to be “free, fair and peaceful.” What those observers ignored was the fact that this was clearly a one-party endeavor. The opposition had been ruthlessly crushed over the past 15 years, more so since October 28, 2023. In addition, 25,000 opposition leaders and members have been arrested or taken to custody, otherwise known as torture cells, plus conducting a witch-hunt to keep them away from the playing field. According to independent observers, only 12% of voters could be forced or coerced to the polling booths. A few photo images and videos depicted minors under 18 brought in to stuff the ballot boxes.
The manner in which the unelected autocratic AL regime conducted the operation leading to the January 7 farce is well-known particularly to the US and the democratic West, which kept insisting on a free, fair and participatory elections in Bangladesh for months, if not years. Encouraged by the declared policy of the US to ensuring democracy, human rights, election integrity and combating corruption and authoritarianism, the people of Bangladesh harbored a hope to be free of the autocratic regime under Sheikh Hasina, under which they have endured for 15 long years. Bangladeshis now feel abandoned as the illegal regime was allowed to stage another farcical election in the name of parliamentary elections, awarding itself another five years of abject authoritarianism.
CHRD Bangladesh urges the US and the international community to reject the so-called election staged on January 7, and to: 1) penalize the corrupt authoritarian Hasina regime for blatantly violating election integrity, democracy and human rights as per their policy and prior commitments, and 2) to insist on fresh elections under a neutral CTG urgently.