Those attempting to sabotage the election must be resisted, said Munira Khan, President of the election observation organization Fair Election Monitoring Alliance (FEMA).
She made these remarks on Friday (January 9) at a shadow parliament organized by Debate for Democracy at the FDC in the capital, titled “An Acceptable Election Will Play a Role in Restoring Democracy.”
Munira Khan stated that the election must take place and cannot be stalled. However, a certain group is actively working to undermine a good and acceptable election. Expressing concern, she said there could be attempts to disrupt the upcoming election, and those behind such efforts must be resisted.
She noted that maintaining law and order during the election is one of the biggest challenges. The highest measures must be taken to recover illegal weapons. At the same time, tackling the “three Ms”—Money, Muscle, and Manipulation—requires responsible roles from the government, the Election Commission, and political parties, alongside essential public awareness. In addition to the interim government, political parties must also play a strong role in ensuring a good election.
She further said that former Chief Election Commissioners Nurul Huda and Habibul Awal could have resigned due to their failure to conduct fair elections. Instead, by violating their oath, they delivered questionable elections.
Addressing voters, she urged them not to vote based solely on symbols, but to consider the manifesto and the candidate's qualifications. Otherwise, instead of restoring democracy, fascism could return.
Regarding independent candidates, Munira Khan said the provision requiring signatures from 1% of total voters to be submitted to the Election Commission is contradictory to the constitution. This provision needs to be changed. She also expressed dissatisfaction that, despite all political parties agreeing in the July Charter to nominate at least 5% women candidates, none have followed through in practice. She was particularly critical of Jamaat-e-Islami for not nominating even a single woman candidate.
The event was presided over by Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron, Chairman of Debate for Democracy.
In his address as the Speaker of the shadow parliament, Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron said the February 12 election will be the people's verdict against Awami League's misrule. Voters, who have long been deprived of exercising their voting rights, will now have the opportunity to express their accumulated anger. Through genuine votes, the nation will be freed from the stigma of tainted elections, and a government of the people will be established.
He said that instead of politics of revenge, an inclusive, discrimination-free, and harmonious state will emerge—where social justice, rule of law, and human rights can be ensured.
However, he cautioned that ending an autocratic regime is not possible through elections alone. Without ensuring good governance and accountability, a merely acceptable election will not be sufficient to restore democracy.
Hasan Kiron further stated that elections are not just about transferring power. Ordinary people expect relief, security, and peace from their elected representatives. They want balance in income and expenditure, education, employment, and healthcare guarantees. People will be satisfied only when their minimum basic rights are realized.
In the shadow parliament competition, debaters from Dhaka International University defeated those from Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology to win. The judges were Prof. Abu Muhammad Rois, journalist Mainul Alam, Mashiur Rahman Khan, Zakir Hossain Liton, and Kawsara Chowdhury Kumu. At the end of the event, trophies, crests, and certificates were awarded to the participating teams.
