Election a Farce in the Name of Democracy: GM Quader

GM Quader, Chairman of a faction of the Jatiya Party (JAPA), has stated that the upcoming election in February is not a genuine democratic process but rather a “farce in the name of election.”

He made the comment on Saturday (October 4) during an exchange meeting organized by Jatiya Mohila Party at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

GM Quader said, “There has been much discussion surrounding the February election. From our perspective, this is not a proper or complete election.

To me, it seems more like a staged drama or farce. In the past, during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, we witnessed elections where candidates from the same party competed among themselves. Although there are some slight changes this time, once again, the primary competition appears to be between the ruling party and a semi-government party.”

He further stated, “Normally, a fair election is held under a neutral government, where one side acts as the ruling party, and the other is its opposition. But in this case, both sides are government-backed. There is no visible opposition in this election. That’s why we believe this may be another predetermined process, just like what we saw under Sheikh Hasina’s government.”

Explaining the difference between the ruling and semi-government parties, GM Quader said, “By ‘ruling party,’ we mean those fully endorsed and supported by the government. Members of this party are receiving full government privileges, and even their advisors are still part of the cabinet. They are backed by Jamaat-e-Islami and a few other parties. This party is effectively functioning as the government’s own.”

He added, “On the other hand, the semi-government party is BNP. While they may not completely control the government, they have more than 50% influence. What we’re seeing now is an election where the government and the semi-government are competing against each other. However, over half of the country’s people are still being left out of the electoral process.”

In conclusion, GM Quader alleged, “Just like during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, when 50% of the population was excluded from elections, the same is happening now—only this time it’s being done through administrative orders.”