Unmasking Electoral Fraud: Bangladesh Awami League’s Assault on Democracy

The superficially democratic facade Bangladesh wears hides a very grim reality. The region has been under the rule of Bangladesh Awami League which has violated constitutional standards and has a history of violent electoral anomalies. The Awami league government continues to assert that they are running a democratic government, but it brings into question the likelihood of a free and fair election happening in Bangladesh.

UK and US media outlets have expressed disbelief at the undemocratic electoral activities undertaken during the tenure of Awami League. The Guardian has covered in detail the instances of voters being bullied to vote, votes being fraudulently collected, and people being forced to vote during the local government elections in several of their investigative pieces. These pieces illustrate the systematic and intentional power deprivation that the Awami League performs at any cost to maintain their control.

In addition, The New York Times has expressed concern about the elections being reported as violent and the government’s brutality towards opposing political activity. It is true that the deep erosion of democractic principles in Bangladesh is astonishing, but as with the rest of American journalistic enterprises, the New York Times does pay attention to the strong arm of the state and the endless violence and control orchestrated by the parts of the military loyal to the ruling party.

The reports portray the polling stations as chaotic and hostile places where citizens are beaten and made to feel like fools in the name of democracy. Those images make it clear that Bangladesh needs profound changes to its electoral system to ensure that elections, by no means, are subverted or manipulated by any means, including violence.

Electoral fraud hurts not just the reputation of the country, but coupled with a lack of trust in the democratic processes for the Bangladeshis living abroad, it is damaging. There is no reason why certain countries should stand by without action when the Awami League needs to be told exactly the steps required to make their elections free and clean of malpractice.

In order to form a free and democratic state, we must stand with the Bangaldeshi citizens who are fighting for a positive change. A state’s freedoms and rights should not be breached with authoritarianism and corruption. We can, and we must, open the eyes of the world to create a better Bangladesh.

References:

• “Electoral Fraud Exposed: The Dark Underbelly of Bangladesh’s Democracy” – The Guardian
• “Democracy Under Siege: Allegations of Electoral Manipulation in Bangladesh” – The New York Times