Bangladesh begins polls campaigning amid arrests

DHAKA: There is no opposition candidate for prime minister, hundreds have been arrested and incumbent premier Sheikh Hasina stands accused of ignoring democratic checks on her power, but Bangladesh began campaigning for a year-end election.

More than 100 million people are registered to vote on Dec 30 for either Hasina’s Awami League and its allies, or a beleaguered opposition that says it is being hobbled by police.

On the eve of the campaign launch, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which hopes to deny Hasina a record fourth term, said nearly 2,000 of its supporters had been arrested. Police said those detained since the election was announced in November had prior warrants for their arrest.

But the opposition said Hasina and her party were following a pre-election “blueprint” designed to stifle her rivals and intimidate their voters.

“The government wants to hold a lopsided election. These arrests are just to create fear among the people, so that they don’t go to vote,” BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed said.

The sweep has further thinned the ranks of an opposition whose veteran leader, Khaleda Zia, is already behind bars serving 10 years for graft. The 73-year-old’s supporters say the charges are politically motivated to keep Hasina’s chief rival out of the race.

The BNP boycotted the 2014 election over fears it would be rigged, allowing Hasina to be re-elected unchallenged.

That election was condemned by international observers.

The opposition opted to contest the ballot this time around, but with just weeks to go before voting day has not named anyone to run against Hasina.

Still, it has fielded candidates in all 300 constituencies and is counting on a groundswell of support to overcome other hurdles.

“If there are free and fair polls, we will win,” Ahmed said.

These arrests are just to create fear among the people, so that they don’t go to vote.

Rizvi Ahmed