Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Habibul Awal has rightly said that law enforcement agencies will have to bear the responsibility if there is any communal violence before, during or after the upcoming election. He said this after a meeting with the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad where the organisation's general secretary has asked that areas dominated by minorities be declared as 'risky zones' during the election period and that security be beefed up in these areas. It is sad but true that such misgivings are not ill-founded as there have been incidents of communal violence surrounding elections in the past, which makes the CEC's statement all the more significant.

In the last few years, attackers have targeted minority communities, and the law enforcers have displayed apathy or reluctance in catching the culprits, who are often linked to influential groups. The fear of repercussions has prevented many victims from filing cases against their attackers. Even when cases have been filed, the likelihood of bringing the attackers to book is very slim. So, isn't it the law enforcers' job and moral obligation to investigate these incidents and arrest the suspects and have them tried in court? Or is it their role to only please one particular party because they may lose their jobs if they don't?

Let us not forget, moreover, that violence is not limited to attacks on minorities but can erupt against any individual during elections, making the role of the law enforcers critical in preventing it. So far, the police's role during political events has been far from unbiased. The attacks on opposition members during rallies, in the present times as well as in the past, where there was a strong presence of the police, have shown the level of bias with which they have operated. We have seen blatant camaraderie of the law enforcers and members of Chhatra League who have unleashed their wrath on members of the opposition and practically anyone who appeared to be critical of the ruling party. And in most cases, the police did not do anything to stop ruling party men from their assault. Meanwhile, law enforcers have shown their alacrity in arresting opposition members and filing all kinds of cases against them. Sometimes individuals who were not even present in the country during the alleged "crime" have had cases filed against them, sometimes even if they weren't alive.

The image of law enforcement agencies has taken a heavy blow in recent years because of alleged crimes committed by some of their members. But it is the politicisation of the police and other law enforcers that has been the biggest letdown for the people. The upcoming election will show us whether the law enforcement agencies will live up to the role envisioned by the CEC as well as the role we, the people, want to see, which is to protect every member of the public, regardless of their political affiliation.

More female voters have got on the voter list than males during the last registration of prospective voters ahead of the 12th parliamentary election.

After updating the voter roll for 2022, the Election Commission found that 53.34 percent of the newly added voters were females, according to the draft voter list unveiled by the EC last month.

The figure was 30.31 in 2021 and 40.30 in 2020.

EC officials said strong campaigns putting emphasis on enrolling all eligible women has brought about a change in people's attitude towards registering females. They said it was one of the reasons for the rise in the number of new female voters.

Enquired about the reason for the significant rise, NID wing Director General AKM Humayun Kabir said, "Many women registered in the draft voter list this time as the enumerators went door-to-door. Campaigns were also conducted to make sure that no eligible women are left out."

He said many women could not become voters over the last two years due to the pandemic. They took the chance this year, he added.

Humayun also pointed out that during the voter list update work, 22.09 lakh dead voters were removed.

EC enumerators went door-to-door from May to November last year to collect information. This was the last registration process for prospective voters before the next general election, scheduled to be held in late December this year or early January next year.

Releasing the Draft Voter List-2022 on January 15, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam told journalists that the final roll would be published on March 2 and the 12th parliamentary polls would be held using that list.

According to EC data, 57.74 lakh voters increased in the draft voter list since March 2, 2022. Of them, 30.80 lakh are females.

During the updating of the voter roll in 2021, at least 15.66 lakh new voters were added. Of them, 4.74 lakh were females.

A total of 19.18 lakh new voters, including 7.92 lakh females, got registered in 2020.

About the figures of fewer women registering in 2021 and 2020, EC officials said women usually show reluctance to collect birth certificates by paying fees. Also, many unmarried Hindu women show unwillingness to get registered as voter with their parents' addresses.

Besides, unmarried women, and those from poverty-stricken areas and with lower educational qualifications are less interested in becoming voters, the officials added.

Failures to produce parents' national identity cards, long distance of voter registration centres from their homes and reluctance to take pictures on religious and social grounds were also among the reasons for the low number of women voters registering.

Mentioning these reasons, the EC in its May-10 order last year urged all elected women vice-chairmen of upazila and union parishads and municipalities to play an active role so that more female voters get enrolled.

The EC in another order asked all election officers in upazilas and districts to ensure that no women is left out.

Despite the progress made last year, EC data shows that the increase in the number of new female voters was still less than that of the male voters between December 2018 national election and January 15, 2023. A total of 1.48 crore voters were added to the voter roll during this period. Of them 47.29 percent were females.

Some 1.22 crore voters were added between the parliamentary polls in January 2014 and December 2018. Of them, 47.45 percent were females.

A total of 1.09 crore voters were included in the voter list between December 2008 national polls and January 2014 polls. Of them, 42.23 percent were women.

Although 3.86 lakh more women registered than men this year, their share in the draft voter list remains lower than males.

On January 15, there were total 11.90 crore voters. Of them, 49.28 percent were females.

There were 49.56 percent female voters during the 2018 parliamentary polls. The figures were 49.84 and 50.87 during the 2014 and 2008 polls respectively.

Earlier, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said more women moving to cities was among the key reasons for the drop in the number of female voters.

Awami League's decision to not compete for two of the recently vacated seats, rather letting its allies vie for them, is aimed at strengthening its relations with partners ahead of the 12th national election, slated for January 2024.

On the other hand, AL's decision to not give the party symbol to anyone competing in the upcoming Brahmanbaria-2 by-polls is an effort to keep the main opposition, Jatiya Party, in its fold, according to AL insiders.

AL's parliamentary board on Sunday decided to leave two seats -- Thakurgaon-3 and Bogura-4 -- for Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu), respectively.

In the last election held in 2008, AL left Thakurgaon-3 for Workers Party, Bogura-4 for JSD-Inu, and Brahmanbaria-2 for Jatiya Party, but BNP won those seats.

As AL is trying to expand its alliance by taking pro-liberation political forces on board, the party's latest decision is to satisfy its alliance and electoral partners. The ruling party is now working on its relations with its partners, belonging to the 14-party alliance, and has already sat with them several times. It is also closely maintaining relations with Jatiya Party.

The ruling party has decided to contest for three of the six seats that remain vacant since the recent resignation of BNP lawmakers. The election of those six seats will be held on February 1.

On December 11, a day after BNP's rally in Dhaka, seven BNP MPs, one from reserved seat, tendered their resignation letters to the JS speaker as part of their party's anti-government movement. And so, six seats -- Brahmanbaria-2, Thakurgaon-3, Bogura-4, Bogura-6, Chapainawabganj-2 and Chapainawabganj-3 -- were vacated.

Awami League's decision came after Workers Party and JSD wrote letters to the ruling party to sacrifice those two seats for them.

According to insiders, as AL is trying to expand its alliance by taking pro-liberation political forces on board, the party's latest decision is to satisfy its alliance and electoral partners.

The ruling party is now working on its relations with its partners, belonging to the 14-party alliance, and has already sat with them several times. It is also closely maintaining relations with Jatiya Party, said sources.

AL took part in the 2008, 2014 and 2018 elections under the banner of the 14-party alliance, which was treated as AL's ideological alliance. Besides, Jatiya Party was an electoral partner of AL in those elections.

When AL formed the government in 2009, Jatiya Party became the main opposition in the House, while AL ignored its partners. But leaders of the allies were inducted into the government formed in 2009 and 2014, they said.

A gap started forming between partners of the 14-party alliance and Awami League. This gap has widened day by day due to AL ignoring its partners.

This friction was exposed on December 8, when AL convened a meeting with its partners. The ruling party drew heavy flak from its left-leaning allies for ignoring them while taking crucial political decisions and for starting "electioneering" for the next national polls by keeping its partners in the dark.

Leaders of the leftist parties told AL leaders that they are disappointed, as the ruling party does not give them space in the government nor give the alliance much importance.

On the other hand, relations between AL and JP have lately strained, as the former believes JP Chairman GM Quader has reached an understanding with BNP leaders about a simultaneous anti-government movement, sources said.

Things appeared to have soured when several JP leaders started talking about "government misrule" a few months ago and last month. GM Quader said his party does not belong to any alliance with AL.

Under such circumstances, the ruling party started trying to strengthen relations with its partners.

AL President Sheikh Hasina, also the prime minister, held a meeting with two top leaders of Jatiya Party, while top leaders of AL had several meetings with its left-leaning partners.

Talking to the Daily Star, a top leader of Workers Party, wishing anonymity, said, "As Awami League decided to participate in the next election under the banner of the 14-party alliance, the ruling party is trying to satisfy partners and the latest decision shows that."

"We will wage movements and participate in the election together," AL veteran leader Amir Hossain Amu, also coordinator of the 14-party alliance, told The Daily Star.

He brushed aside claims of the widening gap between AL and its partners.