Political tensions are rising ahead of the upcoming national elections, with parties exchanging accusations over the lack of a “level playing field” as campaign rhetoric intensifies from the capital to grassroots levels.
As the election date approaches, leaders of competing parties have stepped up attacks on opponents, alleging bias, misuse of religion and violations of the electoral code of conduct. Political analysts warn that such confrontational rhetoric could increase the risk of violence during the campaign period.
The Election Commission (EC), however, has rejected the allegations, and insisted that it is operating independently and that all parties are being given equal opportunities under the law.
Meanwhile, top BNP leaders have been seen giving speeches criticizing Jamaat-e-Islami. On the other hand, top leaders of Jamaat and NCP are not giving up on criticizing BNP.
In the first election rally in Sylhet, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman said, “A party is promising you paradise before the election. They are deceiving the people before the election by falsely promising to give you what Allah has the right to give. This party is spreading shirk and kufr among Muslims. People know the history of those in 1971. They did not want the independence of this country.”
In a rally in Kishoreganj, the BNP Chairman said, “This time too, a group has started a conspiracy. They are taking the ID card numbers and bKash numbers of mothers and sisters. Those who disrespected mothers and sisters in 1971 are doing these things. We have to be vigilant against the conspirators.”
In a rally in Panchagarh, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “We do not have any cards in our hands. We want a card of love in your hearts. Support, prayers and love are our cards. A group wants to give unemployment allowance. We don't want unemployment allowance, we want to honor the youth with work.”
At a public meeting in Gaibandha, Jamaat Ameer said, “Jamaat leaders and activists remained in the country despite enduring oppression and torture, they did not flee the country with bonds. Party leaders who love the country and its people do not flee the country.”
Criticizing BNP, National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam said, “Those who talk about giving flats have plans to evict slums. The people have understood such deception. Family cards or farmer cards are BNP's deception, people at the field level are not responding to these promises.”
He also said, “On the one hand, they are talking about giving cards, on the other hand, they are nominating loan defaulters. Those who are being nominated will come to power and loot again. The party has nominated only such people who will steal people's money.”
BNP also has alleged that the 'level playing field' is being destroyed in the election field. The party claims that a particular political party is misusing religious sentiments to gain vested interests and is committing irregularities in the postal ballot process.
Mahdi Amin, spokesperson for the party's Central National Election Steering Committee, said, "It has been seen in the media that people are being made to swear by touching the Holy Quran to vote for a particular party's symbol, which is a direct violation of the code of conduct. In addition, the party is going door to door collecting national identity cards and bKash numbers," claiming that there is a dishonest motive behind this, he said.
Jamaat-e-Islami alleged that the field administration in charge of the elections is working in favor of a particular party. The party's Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad said, "The impartiality of the administration is essential. But the returning officers at the field level are behaving in a biased manner."
NCP Election Steering Committee Chairman Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said, "The EC is not able to ensure a level playing field properly. I urge them to move away from party affiliation and perform their duties properly. One of the political parties and its chairman Tarique Rahman has been violating the code of conduct since the first day of the campaign.”
He also alleged that election restrictions are being violated by using posters and microphones.
When asked how he views such contradictory positions of election-oriented political parties, Dr. Sajjad Siddiqui, Chairman of the Peace and Conflict Studies Department of Dhaka University, told Bangladesh Pratidin, “Through this, the parties are strengthening their position by putting pressure on the government. But at the end of the day, people do not do ideological politics, but muscle politics. This is one of the characteristics of third world countries.”
He said, “The way mud-slinging or accusation politics has started now, there is a risk of violent incidents in the future.”
According to analysts, the debate over a level playing field may intensify in the future. They believe that the role of the administration and the EC, along with political parties, is important in ensuring fair and participatory elections.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
