Wherever you go, whoever you meet, you will face one question. What is going to happen? But no one actually knows what will ultimately emerge in the days to come. This question is now relevant as the country is passing through a transition. After the political changeover amid the student-people’s uprising on 5 August, Sheikh Hasina, who held on to power through three controversial elections, fled to India. An interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus has been formed on 8 August. Most of the political parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have extended their support to the interim government which has already announced that they have no political ambition and they would hand over power through a free and fair election.
During the 15 and half years of ruling of Hasina-led Awami League, most of the government institutions including the judiciary, the election commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, the banking sector, the administration, and the police have been politicised and turned dysfunctional. Amid such a situation, the interim government has initiated a move to carry out a reform. In this regard, several commissions have been formed. In the beginning, most of the political parties have supported the government’s initiative on reform. However, the parties have recently demanded immediate elections. They also said the reform is a continuous process and the elected government will carry out reforms.
In the meantime, the chief adviser to the interim government Dr Muhammad Yunus has announced that the national election can be held between December 2025 and June 2026. Despite the announcement, the political parties want more specific deadline and they demand elections by 2025.
Questions also come to mind whether the major political party Awami League will join the next election or not. Since the political changeover, top leaders are on the run and some are in jail. Due to various reported misdeeds including corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and genocide carried out during the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement, the leaders have little chance to go to the people. Despite uncertainty, the chief election commissioner said the Awami League has no bar to contest the election if the party is not banned by the government or the court.
However, while talking to local journalists in Rangpur on 22 December, the National Citizens’ Committee member secretary Akhtar Hossain said Awami League will not be allowed to contest the election until justice is served for the July-August massacre.
People expect that the government will feel the pulse of the people and fulfill their expectation in the New Year.
The vibe and the expectation that were created after the political changeover, are set to diminish. The unity that was created among the political parties and student organisations are not in a good shape. Under such a circumstance, the interim government faces multiple challenges. The law and order has deteriorated while the public administration is in total chaos. The economy is in crisis. The people are hit hard by high inflation and unemployment.
Geopolitics is another major challenge for the country. The neighbouring India, which blatantly extended support to the Awami League to hold on to power for their interest, has yet not taken the political changeover in Bangladesh easily. The interim government has repeatedly said that Bangladesh wants to maintain relations with India based on mutual interest and dignity.
As the days gone by, frustration over the interim government is growing. Questions come to mind whether the interim government would be able to hold elections and hand over power to the elected government, whether the elected government will ensure the rule of law and whether the corruption will return. People from all walks of life want establishment of rule of law, good governance, corruption free society, economic emancipation and peace and tranquility. People expect that the government will feel the pulse of the people and fulfill their expectation in the New Year.
prothom alo
