The people have to be more alert, assertive, and vocal.
The Daily Star asked two young voters to explain their decisions as the 12th parliamentary election rolls out.
Our civil society leaders must step forward to address the prevailing political impasse in the country.
With each new term of the ruling regime, and each new provision or law, we have learnt a bit more of self-censorship.
Since voters are reluctant to take part in this election, the ruling party has resorted to such measures.
This election will push the whole country towards further uncertainty and close the door to constructive politics in Bangladesh.
After the election is over, the meaning of democracy will change to mean coercion.
By now, it is clear that the election this time around will be a one-sided affair.
Another election is in the offing, and even though I want to feel excited again, I simply cannot.
Awami League has always found justification in the Nietzschean theory of cultivating or “inventing” enemies
The independence of the judiciary in Bangladesh has not yet been realised.
In almost all cases involving opposition activists, they were found guilty
The BNP failed to reap anything effective from the huge public support that it was able to garner late last year.
It appears that all of the ruling party’s efforts revolve around the next election, not considering longer-term ramifications for itself.
We are witnessing an engineered intra-party contest as most of the independents belong to the ruling party.
Bereft of the basic rights to assemble and express, let alone protest, the people of Bangladesh are currently bearing the brunt of the coercive apparatuses of the state.
Continued denial of voting and other political and democratic rights is bound to become a very serious threat in the future.
