Tanim Ahmed

Be it the US-led invasion of Iraq or the military-controlled interim government in Bangladesh, a viable exit or escape route seems to be eluding the actors of both theatres. As the election day draws near, the interim government has visibly stepped up its effort to secure assurance that, whoever comes to power, all its actions will be endorsed in the first session of the ninth Jatiya Sangsad. The political parties, too, are as keen on securing votes as they are about their escape route.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia solemnly declared on December 24—a date that had taken on much significance in the run-up to elections—that her party was not backing out of the parliamentary polls. In making the public announcement, she allayed much of the apprehensions about the holding of the elections. However, that did not stop her from pointing fingers at the Awami League. She indicated her archrivals when she warned in the name of the people that rigged polls would not be acceptable. Hasina, on her part, has only reciprocated the allegations. She has accused her archrivals of being engaged in staging a drama at Comilla with the grenades. She has also accused her rival party of trying to sabotage the polls.
Such tone of the leaders of both parties only reminds one of the past elections, where there have been similar exchanges of accusations. One accusing the other of manipulation and foul play is a routine exercise ahead of almost every election. That also happens to be the planned escape route for the losing party. If the BNP loses, then it would have to be necessarily because of foul play by the Awami League and in no way due to the BNP’s failure, and vice versa. There is no such thing as accepting defeat in politics, not in Bangladesh.
So whatever the case, if this pre-election rhetoric is anything to go by, defeat would not be accepted gracefully by either camp. Nor is it likely that there would be congratulatory speeches from the losing camp and promises of full cooperation in the governance of the state for the elected government’s tenure. One only hopes that this lack of sense and prudence would not spill on to the streets or make the parliament as ineffective as in the past.