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Can Bangladesh’s Election Commission Act to Boost Its Credibility?

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The Pulse | Politics | South Asia

Can Bangladesh’s Election Commission Act to Boost Its Credibility?

It needs to convince voters that it is not an extension of the ruling Awami League and that it will provide all parties with a level playing field.

Can Bangladesh’s Election Commission Act to Boost Its Credibility?

Election campaign posters hang on a street in Srinagar, Munshiganj district, Bangladesh, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.

Credit: AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu

In February 2023, Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) marked its first year in office. Since Bangladesh is less than 12 months away from holding its next general election, it is pertinent to assess the challenges the EC faces in organizing a national election that is acceptable to all political parties as free and fair.

Bangladesh’s 2014 and 2018 general elections were marred by controversy. The opposition boycotted the 2014 election, and most liberal democracies called for a re-election. The ruling Awami League (AL) argued that the election was necessary to avert a constitutional crisis. However, China and India, two powerful allies of Bangladesh’s current regime, did not object to the election.

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