Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced the schedule of the 12th Jatiyo Sangsad(JS) in a speech to the nation on November 15 amid ongoing protests demanding the resignation of the current government and the formation of a neutral government during the election.
However, BNP, the main opposition party on the streets, continued to stage a strike to create pressure on the Election Commission. Through this pressure they also aimed to force the Commission to postpone the schedule. But in the end no pressure worked nor did the government take any initiative for dialogue.
It was thought that some initiative might be taken after the letter given to BNP and Awami League by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu to sit in unconditional dialogue.
After delivering Lu's letter to Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, the US ambassador in Dhaka, Peter Haas, made it clear that now is not the time for dialogue.
Frankly, there was uneasiness in the government after the implementation of the US visa policy and the pressure the government was under was also evident in the words of people at the policy-making level of the government. Later, the BNP rally on 28th October went awry and the central leaders, including the party's secretary general, were arrested, giving the message that the government would also be tough. Since then, BNP has been trying to put pressure on the government with programs like hartal-blockade one after the other. In view of the situation, it seemed that the movement of garment workers in the middle of this movement of BNP has put the government in more trouble. The workers' movement was also threatened by the United States. But the government has not done anything.
In this situation, various discussions and criticisms are going on in the political circles of the country whether there is a possibility for BNP to go to the elections. Political analysts say that just as the BNP wanted to send a strong message to the government by capitalizing on the October 28 mass meeting, the government also plans to put the BNP under pressure.
It is being said that the police killing, vandalism and violence by attacking the BNP rally gave the government an opportunity to attack the main opposition party. And the BNPO announced programs like hartal to protest the arrest of its leaders and activists from the next day. But in the end, the government started arresting one by one from the central leadership of BNP to the grassroots level. As a result, BNP's movement could no longer freeze.
Because of this, after the arrest of many leaders at the central level including the secretary general, the government is moving towards the January 7 election before understanding what alternative means can be used to strengthen the movement and involve the people.
After the schedule, Awami League and 14 parties have started preparing for the elections. Besides, some other like-minded parties are going to participate in the elections. Jatiya Party, one of Awami League's allies in the last election, has started selling nomination forms, but there are doubts about whether it will go to the polls. However, analysts said that the Jatiya Party will participate in the elections in the end. They said that the government is trying to bring several more parties in the upcoming national elections. Maybe they will succeed.
On Monday, BNP Joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced another 48-hour blockade after the hartal. By this, it is understood that the possibility of BNP going to the elections is getting distant.
Analysts said that the rate at which cases have been filed against BNP leaders and workers, it is not possible for them to avoid police arrest and remain in the election field. Now it is to be seen whether the BNP can really put pressure on the government by creating public involvement in the program of the movement.