BNP, one of the country’s main opposition parties, has decided not to participate in the upazila elections. Along with them, a number of smaller parties have been announcing the same decision throughout the day. In an impromptu interview, Hasanul Haq Inu, one of the country’s freedom fighters, senior political figure and a former information minister, spoke quite openly about how the country’s large-scale local government elections will be held in the future, including electoral politics and driving people to the polls stations and the political division of the country. He also said that if BNP does not participate in the election, it will have a negative impact on the election. Even according to him, it is very difficult to motivate people in the election.

Here’s his detailed interview:

BNP is not taking part in the upazila elections, are 14 parties taking part in this election?

Hasanul Haq Inu: We have never contested the local government elections in alliance. All 14 parties will participate in the election. All of them have decided to participate in the election.

What should be the role of Jatiya Party, an ally of 14 parties, in this election?

Hasanul Haq Inu: Jatiya Party has also decided to take part in the election. I hope that the administration will play a neutral and stronger role. The voters can then cast their votes.

Do you think there will be any impact from BNP not participating in the election as a party?

Hasanul Haq Inu: It doesn’t matter that he is not participating in the party. There is no legal bar on BNP to hold the election if it wants. Awami League will not use the party symbol, it is Awami League’s party decision. If any party wants can use the party symbol as they want, so there is no obstacle in the Election Commission’s law. But if someone does not want to use the party symbol, then it is their personal matter. However, no law is being broken even if the party symbol is not used.

If BNP does not take part in the election, it will definitely have an impact, and that impact will be negative. But it remains to be seen how much the enthusiasm of the people will be affected if they do not participate.

You are a freedom fighter and one of the oldest political personalities of the country, you are aware of the present electoral system of the country. In such a situation, what advice would you give to the political parties and the people of the country to make the people election-oriented?

Hasanul Haq Inu: There is still a conflict situation in the country’s politics. On the one hand, there is the power of the war of liberation and on On the other hand, there is opposition to the war of liberation. They were defeated in 1971. Razakars, Jamaat, militants, and their supporters.
Therefore, it is a very difficult and time-consuming matter to make people election-oriented in this conflicting situation.

Therefore, the political parties participating in the election, maintaining the constitutional order, have to motivate the people through difficult political activities so that if the razakars or the communal forces and their devout supporters do not participate in the vote; it is the responsibility of the people and the pro-liberation parties to keep the democratic system alive.
As long as this political conflict is not cleared, there will be problems with every election vote.