Bangladesh "Election" 2018 Resource Page

In a few days on the 30th December, Bangladeshis will try and vote in a General Election. Just like in 2014 the government is rigging the contest in many ways, but unlike 2014 some influential internal and external enablers, who helped to create this murderous ultranationalist monster, photographed and curated its dehumanisation, seem to have changed tack and now oppose it publicly.

Maybe there is a bit of love in the air, I certainly get that sense from the BNP head Mirza Fakhrudin Islam Alamgir's trembling outreach video below. But more likely, we are just tired, desperate and need to work across circles of pain, privilege, stupidity and difference - or our people will be doomed to eat each other up and/or run away as things get swampier and saltier and Bracottabad, Climantanomo and Santa's Lapland become our three main endpoints.

Full text of the BNP's Vision 2030 can be found on the cached site, as the Government seem to have taken it down, the BNP are digitally challenged and obviously very battered by 10 years of full throttled repression. Its been a while since I have heard anything thats policy orientated and not "ouch" or " My father.." from them.

• Buckets of inevitable international governese, developmentia and preventitude notwithstanding, I like the socioecological landscape architects of our future vibe of paras 187-199 but wince at the Chairman Rao-ness of "National Water Grid". 
• Allah has 97 other exclusive names which are worth connecting with, but can we be enveloped with Rahman and Rahim before we make efforts to establish it between us? not just on our official documentation.
• Climate Change gets a lot of mentions, coloniality - directly - none.  typical.
• Nice move to reclaim the rainbow whoever that was.
• It is a relief to see political demands/programmes that don't involve a hangman's noose.
• National Health Service?
• Quota System Reform
• Moral Rearmament!
• Vintage Ziaurahman Inclusivity-speak.
• Social Safety Network sounds like someone doesn't want to say welfare state
• Expatriotism

The BNP are the largest opposition party in the National Unity Front, which is fronted by the internationally respectable Kamal Hossain, whose symbolic capital is what the BNP have really lacked for so long. This alliance converges around the demands and goals pasted below which reads better to the international audience. Give-us-a-bloody-free-election-get-your-boots-off-our-throats is the main theme ,with good governance and national speak following closely. Not sure how foreign observers help (except as voluntary human shields for voters and activists under fire) because they have historically been bloody clueless and easy to mislead.

Seven demands: 1.    To ensure a fair election, a non-partisan government must be formed through discussion with all political parties, after the resignation of the incumbent government and dissolution of the parliament. Release of political prisoners, including of Khaleda Zia must be ensured, and false cases filed against opposition activists must be withdrawn 2.    Election Commission must be formed with qualified personnel, and electronic voting machines (EVMs) must not be used in the next election 3.    Level playing field during election time must be ensured 4.    False cases field against students and journalists must be withdrawn, and laws such as Digital Security Act must be scrapped 5.    Army Personnel, with magistracy powers must be deployed ten days before the next general election 6.    Foreign and domestic observers must be present during election time, and media professionals must be allowed to perform their duties without any restrictions 7.     Trial of all ongoing cases filed against political personalities must be postponed from the announcement of the polls schedule, till the declaration of the election results. New cases must not be filed against those political personalities during this time

11 goals: 1.    Establishing good governance by bringing balance of power in parliament, government, president and prime minister with an aim to build a Bangladesh with the spirit of Liberation War to end the authoritarian regime, and decentralizing the administration 2.    Amending the constitution, including Article 70, and forming a constitutional commission to appoint impartial and honest officials to the important positions in constitutional bodies 3.    Ensuring freedom and power of the judiciary 4.    Ensuring necessary initiative for modernizing the Anti-Corruption Commission and bringing the corrupts to book 5.    Ensuring an investment-friendly environment, creating jobs and establishing merit as the only baseline for recruitment in government jobs 6.    Ensuring security of the people, their property and fundamental rights and women empowerment 7.     Implement infrastructural reform for freeing the public administration, police and local government from corruption and grouping 8.    Establishing discipline in the financial institutions, including Bangladesh Bank, and ensuring financial growth focused on proper use of national resources, fair distribution and public welfare 9.    Building a national consensus against militancy, terrorism and communalism, and establishing positive, creative and balanced political environment by ending politics of vengeance and negativity 10.    Adopting a “friendship with all, enmity with none” foreign policy 11.    Ensuring advance training, modern technology and equipment for the armed forces to strengthen and modernize them

Decolonial duas for courage, wisdom, safety and justice.

[Will update this page periodically]

Interview with BNP's Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir

Articles beating the Awami League's drum

Obligatory War on Terror Rentier Advert in New York Times, from Dhaka Tribunista. K. Anis Ahmed whose brother is an Awami League MP and who as a Gencom director,  is a direct beneficiary of the government's power sector policies.

Hasina, you are too kind to your opponents rant from Mad Dog Abdul Ghaffar Choudhury.

False and Tricksey poke at the US interference from exBBC and widely believed RAW asset Soubir Bhoumik


Decent, informative blogs.

Mukti Blog

Bangladesh Politico Blog