In a rare and deeply consequential gathering that blended urgency, moral authority, and political foreboding, leading voices from Bangladesh’s civil society, academia, media, and former governance institutions issued a stark and historic warning to the current Election Commission: guarantee a free, fair, and inclusive national election in February 2025 or resign with dignity before presiding over another discredited poll.
The dialogue, titled “Ensuring Credible Elections: The Role of Institutions and Civil Society,” was held at the Election Commission headquarters on Sunday and drew prominent intellectuals, reform advocates, and democratic watchdogs. The event unfolded against a backdrop of deepening public distrust in state institutions and the sobering reality that two former Chief Election Commissioners—Kazi Habibul Awal and KM Nurul Huda—are currently incarcerated for their roles in overseeing elections widely condemned as manipulated and non-competitive.
A nation’s institutions in crisis
Professor Robayet Ferdous of Dhaka University delivered one of the most poignant interventions of the day, framing the electoral crisis as symptomatic of a broader institutional collapse. “Despite many achievements, we are profoundly sad and unfortunate,” he began. “Because after decades of struggle, we have still not been able to fix the most fundamental democratic process: the election.”
He drew a chilling parallel between the fates of judicial and electoral authorities. “You have seen what happened to the three former Chief Justices,” he said. “One was forced into exile before August 5. Another was mobbed out of office on that very day. And ABM Khairul Haque, once the guardian of constitutional integrity, now sits in prison.”
Turning directly to the commissioners, he asked: “Do you not see the pattern? When institutions lose public trust, their custodians become casualties.” He lamented that Bangladesh today has “no functioning institutions”—not Parliament, not the Human Rights Commission, not even the police. “In such a vacuum, no one trusts anyone. And without trust, democracy dies.”
His call was both moral and practical: “If you have backbone, if you have courage, then be independent. Use technology. Enforce the code of conduct. Make corruption visible—and punishable. The world is watching. This is your moment.”
Beyond technical fixes: The political reality
Journalist and columnist Sohrab Hasan challenged the prevailing narrative that electoral flaws are merely technical. “We obsess over voter lists and EVMs, but ignore the elephant in the room: political will,” he said. “It’s unjust to treat the five election commissioners as if they descended from Mars and must single-handedly rescue democracy.”
His central question cut to the core: “Does the current Election Commission genuinely believe a fair election is possible under the present administration?” If the answer is yes, he argued, the EC must accept full responsibility for delivering it. If not, it has a duty to publicly declare what preconditions—such as restoring the caretaker government system or ensuring equal media access—are essential.
“Silence is complicity,” Hasan warned. “If you know fairness is impossible but proceed anyway, you become accomplices to democratic erosion.” He recalled giving the same advice to the previous EC—only to watch it preside over a one-sided election that triggered mass disillusionment.
He also raised alarms over reports that certain political parties may be excluded from the upcoming polls. “The Chief Adviser has promised ‘the best election ever.’ But how can it be the best if major voices are silenced? Talks are ongoing with 30 parties in the Consensus Commission—if even one decides to boycott, the legitimacy of the entire process collapses.”
Inclusion, security, and the digital frontier
The dialogue also spotlighted long-neglected dimensions of electoral justice. Rasheda K Chowdhury, a former adviser in the 2006–08 caretaker government, expressed disbelief at the country’s abysmal record on women’s representation. “After 55 years of independence, only 5 to 7 per cent of parliamentary seats are reserved for women? This is indefensible. Our minimum demand must be 33 percent.” She also urged safeguards for children of expatriate Bangladeshis, who often face barriers to education and civic participation despite contributing to the nation’s economy.
Mohammad Harun Chowdhury, a member of the Police Reform Commission, stressed the need for localized voter protection. “Many independent and smaller-party candidates cannot afford polling agents. Meanwhile, big parties deploy muscle power to intimidate. The EC must ensure a level playing field—not just on paper, but on the ground.”
Student representative Zarif Rahman highlighted emerging threats in the digital age. “An invisible fear now permeates campuses and communities,” he said. “We need mechanisms to bar accused individuals—especially those facing serious criminal charges—from campaigning. Post-election security for losing candidates must also be guaranteed.” Most urgently, he called for dedicated AI fact-checking units and rapid-response teams to counter deepfakes, disinformation, and algorithmic manipulation that could sway voters in the final hours.
The EC responds, but will it act?
In his closing remarks, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin sought to project confidence and openness. “We want to make the election transparent—so transparent that everyone can see it with their own eyes,” he declared. He announced plans to welcome international observers, register as many domestic monitoring groups as possible, and reinstate the EC’s authority to cancel voting in an entire constituency if serious irregularities occur—a power that had been diluted in recent years.
“We are listening,” he assured the audience. “We will try to implement your suggestions. It will not be like the past.”
Yet history casts a long shadow. Since the 9th parliamentary election in 2008, the EC has held pre-poll dialogues before every national vote. Yet opposition parties, civil society groups, and even ruling-party critics consistently allege that these consultations are performative—designed to create an illusion of inclusivity while key recommendations on neutrality, security, and candidate equality are ignored.
A democratic crossroads
As Bangladesh approaches what many describe as its most consequential election in a generation, the message from Sunday’s dialogue could not be clearer: democratic legitimacy cannot be manufactured through procedural theatrics. It must be earned through impartiality, courage, and unwavering commitment to the people’s right to choose.