Bangladesh may not hold elections so soon, says ex-foreign secretary

By Sudhi Ranjan Sen

Bangladesh is unlikely to hold the general elections so soon after Sheikh Hasina was ousted, as the caretaker government may look to carry out constitutional reforms first to ensure future polls are tamper-proof, according to a former top diplomat.

Former Foreign Secretary Shamsher Chowdhury said the incoming interim government under Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus will want to restore law and order first and bring about changes in the system of government. 

The interim government is likely to be around for a longer term because they need to bring about constitutional changes through the president and then have the election, Chowdhury told Bloomberg Television on Thursday. “It could be there for at least a couple of years.”

Since Hasina fled earlier this week following deadly student-led protests, there have been questions on how swiftly elections will be held in the South Asian country once Yunus takes control. The opposition is already pushing for early elections and President Mohammed Shahabuddin said it will be held “as soon as possible.”

Bangladesh, born out of an independence struggle against Pakistan about five decades ago, has a patchy record on elections. There are constant reports of election rigging, which has led many in Bangladesh to demand for a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee the polls. 

“We have seen what happens when elections take place under a particular political party, they end up being rigged,” said Chowdhury, who took part in the 1971 independence movement and had a brief stint in politics. “The last three elections are a manifestation of that.”

Hasina won the elections in January, extending her grip in power for a fourth term in a national vote that was boycotted by the opposition. She had refused to give way to a caretaker government to carry out the elections, saying that a top court in 2011 had declared the institution was an unelected administration. 

The main task of the government would be to reform the election process to ensure it is free, fair and non-controversial, Chowdhury said. “The only way to ensure that is a non-party caretaker government conducts the election.”