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DHAKA: Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has warned that failure to hold free and fair elections could trigger unrest and instability in the country, saying that politics has now become all-encompassing.
“Politics has become all-consuming. If politics is put on the right track, the country will also be put right,” he said, stressing that politicians have the greatest responsibility for ensuring the rights of disadvantaged people.
The Speaker made the remarks on Thursday at the publication ceremony of a parliamentary caucus report on behalf of disadvantaged communities at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon, Dhaka. The event was organised by Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh.
Hafiz Uddin said politicians at every level, from the Prime Minister and ministers to grassroots political activists, could make a positive difference in people’s lives. However, they could also cause harm by abusing their power.
He said a positive change in politics was essential, particularly to establish the rights of disadvantaged communities.
Questioning politicians’ accountability, the Speaker said their interest in and commitment to disadvantaged people were not always evident. Although these communities receive attention during elections, politicians often lose interest in ordinary people once they are elected and become preoccupied with their own privileges and benefits.
He urged politicians to break away from this tendency and stand by the people, pointing out that a large section of the population remained deprived of basic opportunities.
Emphasising the importance of democracy and credible elections, Hafiz Uddin said there was no longer any alternative to holding free and fair polls.
“If elections are not free and fair, there will be fire in the country and instability will follow,” he warned.
He said people had become much more politically aware, making electoral manipulation increasingly difficult.
Referring to past election experiences, the Speaker recalled that 153 candidates had been elected unopposed before voting took place in the 2014 general election. Such experiences had been disastrous for democracy, he said, adding that the current parliament had been elected democratically.
He also called on the Election Commission to take effective measures to reduce the influence of money in elections.
The Speaker highlighted the constraints MPs face in expressing their opinions freely. Many lawmakers, he said, hesitate to speak their minds out of concern that party leaders might be offended, local influential figures might react negatively or their electoral prospects could suffer.
Reserved seats for women should be phased out
Hafiz Uddin expressed support for gradually abolishing reserved parliamentary seats for women and creating greater opportunities for them to contest elections directly.
He said many qualified women politicians were now capable of competing in direct elections and even defeating male candidates.
He also suggested considering a mandatory requirement for political parties to nominate women candidates in at least one-third of their constituencies.
Caucus urged to speak out against corruption
Describing corruption as one of the country’s biggest problems, the Speaker urged the parliamentary caucus for disadvantaged communities to take a strong stance against it.
He said allegations of corruption should be made public regardless of the party affiliation or position of those involved.
The caucus members, he added, should not limit their work to identifying the problems faced by disadvantaged communities. They must also help create an environment conducive to free and fair elections and greater political participation by these groups.
The event was informed that around 35 million people in Bangladesh currently live below the poverty line, highlighting the need for collective efforts to improve their living conditions.
Hafiz Uddin said the formation of a parliamentary caucus involving lawmakers from different political parties to protect the rights of disadvantaged people was a promising initiative.
He expressed hope that sincere efforts by its members would bring visible changes to society.
