After the elections on January 7, which were boycotted by BNP and its allies, a majority of unsuccessful candidates have raised allegations of rigging and malpractice, exposing fundamental flaws in the voting process in Bangladesh.
Allegations of vote rigging
The unsuccessful candidates also included independents who are also incumbent Awami League members, but failed to secure the party’s nominations, along with AL's partner parties that borrowed the ruling party's poll symbol of the boat, and the Jatiya Party, an ally of the ruling party. Even these ruling AL nominees cited rigging as one of reasons for their failures.
The most noteworthy remarks came from Hasanul Haq Inu, the President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and AL's nominated candidate for the Kushtia-2 constituency. He attributed his defeat to vote rigging, saying, "I was defeated by vote rigging, not by the people. I hope everyone will investigate this matter and address it." In a post-election reaction addressed to his party workers and the media, Inu, a former information minister of the AL government and a member of parliament for several terms, mentioned that voting irregularities were brought to the administration's attention but to no avail.
GM Quader, the chairman of Jatiya Party, which had a free ride in 26 seats where AL candidates opted to withdraw in favour of the immediate past opposition in parliament, alleged that AL controlled the voting. He claimed the government did everything in the elections as it please, adding that there had been a fair election in some places as per the government's wish, while in other places, it was previously decided who would win.
In the Dhaka-4 constituency, ruling Awami League nominee Sanjida Khanam, who lost to independent candidate Awlad Hossain, has taken the issue to court, alleging rigging and corruption. Independent candidates, who are also Awami League leaders and activists, have come up with the same allegations.
Why do almost all losing candidates -- whether they belong to the ruling party, independents, the coalition and the allies of Jatiya Party -- seem plausible in their claims? This is because the traditional voting methods are susceptible to irregularities, implying that voting can be tampered with. Even if not manipulated, allegations can be easily leveled.
How rigging occurs
A host of obstacles stand in the way of free and fair elections, including the illegal takeover of polling booths, the practice of stuffing ballot boxes, the driving away of polling agents from rival parties, the intimidation of voters to discourage their participation, casting votes under the guise of fake voters and the partisan behaviour of polling officials. Anyone can readily cite one of these common malpractices observed in the national and local elections conducted in Bangladesh.
Within the current system, individuals with financial resources and influence can easily manipulate the process. Those benefiting from administrative support can exert control, individuals with the backing of law enforcement can corrupt procedures, and those favoured by election officials can effortlessly manipulate results and polling statistics. All actors responsible for conducting elections have formed an unholy nexus, further exposing the deficiencies in the existing system.
In a nation characterized by profound political divisions within its social order, and where the institutions meant to fortify democracy are pathetically perceived to fall below established standards, the reliance on traditional voting methods -- requiring mutual understanding and respect -- becomes a daunting task. In such a scenario, celestial beings, let alone the caretaker government system, might be labeled as partisan -- “either with us or with them.”
Hence, it is prudent to consider a voting system that requires less or no human intervention.
Was there really no solution?
The core controversy in Bangladesh revolves around the issue of fair polls. Thus far, efforts to find solutions have been based on flawed premises, with politicians and Election Commission officials failing to explore innovative methods and shying away from embracing technology.
The reasons for their reluctance, whether it is a desire to carry on a system from which they derive benefits or a lack of awareness about the latest developments, remain known only to them.
The introduction of the much-talked-about EVMs (electronic voting machines) was a good start despite some limitations. However, a covert reluctance to enhance the machines and address the loopholes by Election Commission officials, coupled with stubborn suspicion about the machines by a section of politicians and over enthusiasm by another section, has thwarted the success of the project.
Authorities remained adamant about resisting any changes to EVMs, rejecting the idea of equipping the machines with a voter-verifiable paper audit trail -- a printed document that reconfirms votes -- to address one of the key criticisms against the machines.
The authorities must mandate the use of smart national ID cards for every voter, a measure that can effectively eliminate fake voters and, most importantly, make polling booth agents for candidates redundant.
The Election Commission should take a proactive approach to explore the feasibility of staggered elections, meaning the elections would be conducted over several days instead of a single day. Additionally, the commission should consider the introduction of early voting or advance polling, allowing voters to cast their ballots before the scheduled election day to alleviate concerns about voter intimidation.
Another critical area of concern is ensuring fair vote counting, whether through traditional ballots or electronic means. Transparency can be enhanced by subjecting the entire counting process to live camera surveillance, preventing potential cheating.
It is high time Bangladesh explored advanced solutions by considering the adoption of blockchain technology, even in a partial capacity. This strategic integration can play a pivotal role in enhancing transparency across critical areas such as the voter registration database, vote recording, results verification, and the supply chain for voting equipment. Moreover, there is merit in initiating discussions on the full utilization of blockchain in voting, setting the stage for comprehensive reform in the electoral process.
However, fair balloting alone is insufficient to make Bangladesh a democracy. In addition to the electoral process, factors such as political pluralism, the effectiveness of the executive, the functionality of the judiciary, and the preservation of civil liberties are equally crucial.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index 2022 has ranked Bangladesh 73rd among 167 countries, categorizing the South Asian nation, with a population of 17 crore, as a hybrid regime. This classification indicates the presence of irregularities that hinder the elections from being entirely free and fair in Bangladesh.
Shamim A Zahedy is a journalist. He can be reached at szahedy@yahoo.com