Bangladesh's tenth general elections have been a shambles compared to their predecessors and need to be run again to restore the country's democratic credentials. Boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and with a dramatically reduced turnout they have given an overall victory to the ruling Awami League amid much violence and intimidation. The league's leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed refused to resign before the poll and give way to a neutral transition administration, leading to the boycott and accompanying arrests of opposition leaders.
More than half the seats were uncontested, depriving some 48 million voters of a choice and leading to well-founded complaints that this was not a valid democratic contest. Previous elections have alternated governments in a political system dominated for a generation by these two parties and their leaders who are bitterly rivals personally and politically. Since Bangladesh is one of the world’s poorest countries it can ill afford such political instability.
Recent years have seen it develop economically, driven by a strong garment industry dominated by multinationals drawn there by cheap womens’ labour. The tragedy in which over 1,100 of them died last year in a devastating building accident highlighted the exploitation involved; since then the minimum wage has doubled to $67 a month after strikes and protests. There have also been some impressive efforts to reduce basic poverty. Political turmoil would set back such developments and needs to be headed off promptly and firmly.
This will require compromise on a new election date between the two main parties, agreement on a transition administration, the release of imprisoned opposition leaders and a renunciation of political violence. There should also be agreement on whether to lift the ban on the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party if it acts within the law. Pressure on Sheikh Hasina to reach such a political agreement can be applied by neighbouring states and international partners, including the European Union.