The upcoming week will determine the fate of the country’s political future as the both the ruling and opposition parties are still adamant on their stances over the next parliamentary polls, say political observers.
There will be diplomatic moves, too, which they hope might ease the prevailing political deadlock although there is a slim chance for a dialogue. The coming week will also see the major decision on sending foreign polls observers.
With the submission of nomination papers ending on December 2, this will create an electoral atmosphere in the country as all aspirants will start going to their constituencies for campaigning.
Leaders of the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance, which has already formed election resistance committees across the country, will also start working from that day. They might announce programmes like laying siege to the Election Commission.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, political observer Miznur Rahman Shelley predicted the next week to be “delicate” and a “vital turning point” with so many incidents taking place.
“The ongoing crisis might intensify in the question of polls-time government that might lead to further violence in spite of the activities of the diplomats, United Nations and civil society members. But their advice will not resolve the crisis as the political parties seem to be determined about their stances. The outcome ultimately depends upon them,” Shelley said.
Meanwhile, UN envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco will visit Dhaka on December 6-10. The assistant secretary-general of the Political Affairs Department will have meetings with the Election Commission officials and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque, an official of the foreign ministry said. The meeting with the EC would discuss how the UN could help hold the next election.
Taranco’s previous visit to Dhaka saw the possibility for a dialogue to take place, but the hopes vanished with his departure.
German Ambassador in Dhaka Albrecht Conze on Thursday expressed hope that the major political parties would go for a “responsible action” before Taranco’s arrival and the visit may create scopes for some major progress.
The opposition alliance has already decided to impose non-stop hartals or blockades from Saturday or Sunday to mount pressure on the government to meet its demand for an election under a non-partisan interim administration.
A number of senior opposition leaders said they did not want to give the ongoing movement a big pause as the grassroots were cheered up and showed their strength in the streets during the 71-hour blockade, especially in isolating the capital from the rest of the country.
Abdul Moyeen Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, said the political scenario of Bangladesh had obviously taken a completely new turn following the announcement of the polls schedule.
“While such step which seems to have been dictated by the government has by no means facilitated the process of the dialogue, I would not completely rule out that option as the diplomatic community as well as the United Nations are trying their best to come to a negotiated settlement of the political impasse,” he said.
The former minister said the real solution still lied with the prime minister – whether or not she is reconciled to accept the verdict of the people in the forthcoming elections.
At least 17 were killed during the opposition alliance’s nationwide blockade, which saw confrontational politics at grassroots as most of the deceased belonged to it. The opposition forces have claimed eight of the victims were there activists.
Awami League leaders, however, said the next week would be crucial for the political parties as the nation would see politics getting a direction.
“After the submission of nomination papers, an electoral atmosphere will prevail across the country and people will resist the BNP’s violence as people want elections,” Mahabub-Ul-Alam Hanif, joint secretary general of the Awami League, told the Dhaka Tribune.