As many as 1,675 prominent citizens from various professions, including journalists, academics, lawyers, doctors, engineers, and civil society leaders, have called for the immediate postponement of the upcoming national elections and a related referendum, labelling them as “questionable and undemocratic.”
The group expressed deep concerns over the process, warning that it undermines constitutional norms, political inclusivity, and national stability.
The list of signatories includes 765 lawyers, 401 agriculturists, 262 engineers, 136 journalists, and 111 doctors based in various countries, including Bangladesh, Canada, the US, and Australia.
The statement, issued on Friday, highlights a litany of issues with the current government’s approach to the polls. They argue that the elections lack a proper legal and constitutional foundation, describing the process as a “political farce” that could erode Bangladesh’s international standing and domestic unity.
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“We firmly believe that holding any elections must adhere to democratic, inclusive, fair, and credible standards,” the statement reads. “The current setup is neither democratic nor constitutional.”
Key Concerns
– The absence of constitutional legitimacy for the elections under the current regime.
– A flawed and biased election commission formation process.
– Widespread political repression, including arbitrary arrests, restrictions on freedom of expression, and media censorship.
– Human rights violations, such as enforced disappearances, killings, threats, and attacks on minorities and women.
– Potential damage to international relations, economic stability, and national cohesion.
The group warns that proceeding with the elections could lead to heightened political instability, reduced foreign investment, and a loss of credibility on the global stage. They also criticise the exclusion of major political parties, including the Awami League and several others, from meaningful participation, calling it an “impossible” scenario for genuine representation.
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In response to these issues, the signatories have put forward 12 specific demands to restore democratic integrity and address immediate crises:
1. Immediately halt the election and referendum, ending the undemocratic process.
2. Dissolve the current government and end its authoritarian rule.
3. Form an all-party inclusive interim government.
4. Undertake reforms in the administration at all levels, including grassroots governance.
5. Release all political leaders and withdraw all politically motivated cases.
6. Investigate all killings, enforced disappearances, and acts of violence from July 24 to August 5.
7. Ensure freedom of assembly and revive economic activities.
8. Liberate the media from government control, restore press freedom, and end political influence over journalism.
9. Protect ethnic minorities, women, and marginalised communities from violence.
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10. Modernise all educational institutions and ensure equal opportunities for education.
11. Reopen all closed factories and mills.
12. Provide affordable agricultural inputs to farmers to support food production.
The statement emphasises that these steps are essential for rebuilding trust in democratic institutions and preventing further societal division. “National unity will be destroyed if this farce of an election proceeds,” it states, underscoring the risk of intensified social conflicts and economic downturns.
This collective appeal comes amid growing tensions in Bangladesh’s political landscape, where opposition parties have boycotted similar processes in the past, citing irregularities. Analysts suggest that the statement could amplify calls for international scrutiny, potentially from bodies like the United Nations or the European Union, to ensure electoral fairness.
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