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Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh

Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh. October 22, 2007 Presentation to General Moeen U. Ahmed Election Reform – PAL 231 – Fall 2007 Professor David C. King

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Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh

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  1. Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh October 22, 2007 Presentation to General Moeen U. Ahmed Election Reform – PAL 231 – Fall 2007 Professor David C. King Yalda Aoukar, Alagi Jallow, Juan Carlos Jobet, Athanasios Kontogeorgis, Jeremy Kress, Fernando Rodrigues, Eli Rosenbaum, Nalinee Joy Taveesin, David Winterle

  2. Legitimizing Democracy ● Acknowledge tradeoffs: - Freedom, Order, Equality - Stability and Representation ● Honor your country’s democratic traditions ● Use “sunshine” as a disinfectant to combat corruption ● Institutionalize a culture of compromise and tolerance

  3. Contents Part 1: Election ReformPart 2: Elements of a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh

  4. Election ReformTimeframe for Elections • Recommendations • ● Finish the voter list within 6 months (using all public resources available) • ● Hold municipal elections with the new voter file • ● Hold national elections before October 2008 • ● Involve international observers during the pre-election, election-day and post-election periods Current situation ● Municipal elections expected in early 2008 ● Updated voter list expected by July of 2008 ● National elections expected in October 2008

  5. Election Reform Voter List • Recommendations • ● Engage civil society in the building of the voter list • ● Seek international assistance in registering voters • ● Make the “old” voter list freely accessible to the public on the internet • ● Provide access to new voters list upon completion Current situation ● Voter file is being built with the help of the military ● 80 million voters are expected to be issued identity cards ● Widespread belief of “phantom voters” in the older list

  6. Election Reform Electoral Rules • Recommendations • ● Adhere to electoral rules used in previous elections (1) • ● Enforce campaign expenditure limits and introduce full transparency for electoral money • ● Give equal broadcast time to political parties on state-owned media • ● Defer other electoral reforms to a future elected Parliament Current situation ● Elections were not held on January 22, 2007 ● Unclear electoral rules for municipal and national elections ● Election Commission currently working under surveillance of caretaker government • ----------------(1) Representation of the People Order 1972 and Electoral Code of Conduct 1996

  7. Election Reform Political Parties • Recommendations • ● Encourage compromise and coalition building among political parties • ● Allow ballot access to all parties that took part in the 2001 national elections • ● Give new parties ballot access if they fulfill law in place before the 2001 elections Current situation ● Several political leaders are in jail ● No organized opposition ● Political parties and civil society seem to have little political input into the Election Commission

  8. Elements of a Sustainable Democracy

  9. Elements for a Sustainable DemocracyTransition to Elections • Recommendations • ● Lift the state of emergency • ● Make all actions of the transitional government transparent to the public • ● Include all political organizations during the transition • ● Establish a national education campaign about voting rights Current situation ● State of emergency ● Political uncertainty ● Economic instability

  10. Elements for a Sustainable DemocracyRule of Law • Recommendations • ● Provide fair trials to all political jailed since January 2007 • ● Release comprehensive data on all arrests made since the adoption of the state of emergency • ● Publicize and adhere to the transitional government’s road map for an independent Judiciary Current situation ●The Constitution has, essentially, been circumvented ● Many arrests since January 2007 on allegations of corruption. Activists jailed with uncertainty about timing for trials. ● Separation of the Judiciary from the Executive not complete.

  11. Elements for a Sustainable DemocracyFreedom of Expression • Recommendations • ● End censorship • ● Repeal or amend repressive media decrees • ● Ensure transparency in granting licenses to media companies • ● Abide by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1) Current situation ● Allegations of censorship, or self-censorship, due to political pressures ● History of abuse: publishers and journalists sued by politicians over “defamatory” articles in 2006 ● Internet Providers have been asked to release users’ identities and activities Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”.

  12. Election Reform for a Sustainable Democracy in Bangladesh October 22, 2007 Presentation to General Moeen U Ahmed Election Reform – PAL 231 – Fall 2007 Professor David C. King Yalda Aoukar, Alagi Jallow, Juan Carlos Jobet, Athanasios Kontogeorgis, Jeremy Kress, Fernando Rodrigues, Eli Rosenbaum, Nalinee Joy Taveesin, David Winterle

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