Upcoming election could mirror 'one-sided' 2024 polls if parties excluded: Jatiya Party's Anisul

He warns that excluding major political forces would only deepen voter apathy

Jatiya Party leader Anisul Islam Mahmud has warned that Bangladesh risks facing a repeat of the “one-sided” 2024 general election if major parties are kept out of the process.

Speaking at a media conference on Saturday at Howlader Tower in Dhaka's Gulshan, the chairman of a faction of the party said some political groups were treating the upcoming election merely as a calculation of who will become leader of the opposition and who will form the government. He accused them of shifting responsibility onto others and unnecessarily questioning the electoral process.

Cautioning that elections cannot be treated as a "cure-all", Anisul said: “Some think that if an election is held, everything will be solved. But is an election the only answer?"

Pointing out that even infamous leaders like Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler had come to power through elections but ruled as fascists, he added: "Elections must be credible, transparent and acceptable."

The Jatiya Party leader stressed that excluding major political forces would only deepen voter apathy. He recalled that during the 2024 polls, the people stayed away from the booths, with both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami missing from the ballots.

“People didn’t turn up then, and I can tell you they won’t come this time either. With the current law and order situation, any election held now will not be fair.”

He accused the administration, law enforcement and judiciary of being thoroughly politicised, saying it had become common for officials to be identified by party allegiance rather than professional merit. “Whenever a secretary or senior police officer is mentioned, the question immediately arises -- is he pro-BNP or pro-Jamaat? Under such a politicised administration, how can there be neutral elections?”

According to Anisul, partisanship had spread so far that even university vice-chancellors were being chosen based on perceived political loyalty, leaving institutions discredited.

“Everywhere, people are asking which party someone belongs to. In such a climate, credible polls are impossible,” he said.

The Jatiya Party leader emphasised that only a “level playing field” could guarantee meaningful elections. He pointed to widespread allegations of extortion, land grabs and “case trading” that remained unchecked.

“I am not saying I don’t want elections. I want them, but only when there is a fair and level playing field.”