Current Political Situation

Bangladesh's transition from more than a year of emergency military rule to democracy has been hindered by a deeply polarized political environment and the continued postponement of elections originally scheduled for January 22, 2007.

Following elections in 2001, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led a four-party coalition government to the end of its mandate in October 2006. The BNP’s term was marked by the worsening of the zero-sum, often violent relations between the BNP and its chief rival the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) that have defined Bangladesh politics since the restoration of democracy in 1991. Opposition boycotts of parliament, violent inter-party clashes in the streets and on university campuses, and deepening partisanship in most aspects of public life paralyzed normal democratic functioning and undermined possibilities for good governance.

In October 2006, as required by the constitution, the ruling coalition stepped down and transferred power to a caretaker government (CG), which would oversee elections in January 2007. As election day approached, the CG failed to win the confidence of the AL and, increasingly, the international community. The AL charged the CG with bias, declared that the party would boycott the elections, and enforced general strikes to force a postponement. Meanwhile, the president of the CG was determined to hold the elections as scheduled. Direct confrontation between the AL-led alliance and government security forces seemed imminent. Mass unrest and violence may have been averted when, on January 11, 2007, Bangladesh’s military leaders forced the president to postpone the elections, declare a state of emergency, and step down as head of the CG. A day later, a widely-respected former central bank governor was named Chief Advisor (CA) of the caretaker administration. The new, military-backed CG announced an ambitious campaign of political reform to prepare the country for a return to democratic politics, including a pledge to hold local and national polls by the end of 2008.

The state of emergency grants the new government expansive powers. The CG has carried out a campaign to curb corruption and round up alleged criminals. Thousands of party activists, including former prime ministers and party leaders Sheikh Hasina (AL) and Khaleda Zia (BNP), were detained on charges of corruption and other crimes. The widespread domestic and international optimism that greeted the new CG is increasingly tempered by concerns over mass detentions and continuing delays in announcing an election schedule.

Since May 2008, the CG and major political parties have engaged in negotiations to lay the groundwork for new elections and a return to democracy. Key issues include political party reform, the status of party activists charged with or convicted of corruption, and the future role of the military in politics. The fate and political future of the heads of the AL, BNP, and Jamaat-e-Islami are points of particular contention. After the freeing of Sheikh Hasina in June 2008, the AL agreed to participate in formal dialogues with the government, although an influential faction of the BNP has declared they will not resume formal dialogue with the government or participate in elections unless its leader is also freed and allowed to return to political life. The CG is continuing with electoral reforms, voter registration, and other preparations to hold elections this year.

NDI Programs

Over the past 10 years, NDI has conducted a range of programs to assist Bangladeshis in their efforts to consolidate democracy and increase citizen participation in politics. NDI has provided international and domestic election monitoring assistance and has organized and conducted workshops, seminars, study missions, and multiparty roundtable discussions with political and civil society leaders on a variety of governance and democracy issues.

In recent years, NDI has conducted a series of political leadership training courses for mid-level leaders from all four major parties. NDI also conducted two surveys on the integrity of the voters list, and released its findings in August 2005 and December 2006, respectively. In addition, the Institute has provided technical assistance to NGOs on the use of the study circle method to promote citizen participation in the democratic process. In advance of the scheduled January 2007 elections, NDI assisted political parties and election officials in preparing for the polls by sponsoring an assessment of the pre-election environment, deploying a team of international long-term election observers, and preparing to field an international observation mission on election day.

Currently, NDI is working with political parties and the CG to prepare for a return to electoral politics. NDI has met with parties and election officials to develop recommendations on the ongoing voter registration process and political party and electoral reforms. In cooperation with other organizations, NDI is assisting the Election Commission (EC) with the drafting of new guidelines for domestic election observers, and plans to field its own long and short-term international observation mission for the anticipated national elections. NDI has also supported senior women political and civic leaders in forming a National Women’s Alliance, which is working to promote women leaders and women’s interests in the current interim government and in the next elected parliament. If national elections are held this year, the Institute will also provide support to the newly-elected parliamentarians.

Funding

NDI's programs in Bangladesh have been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Selected Publications

Bangladesh Election Watch Reports, 2007
http://www.accessdemocracy.org/NDI/usr_search.asp?SearchType=bas&DocURL=doc&RC=31&TS=U2&Date=0&keywords=&submit1=Search%21

Report of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Pre-Election Delegation to Bangladesh’s 2006/2007 Parliamentary Elections, September 11, 2006
http://www.accessdemocracy.org/library/2054_bd_finalstatement_091106.pdf

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Updated July 2008

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