Staff Correspondent

The 12th parliamentary election held on 7 January was one-sided and dramatically competitive, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said in a post-polls reaction on Wednesday.

“The 12th parliamentary election was not held in a free, fair and inclusive manner. This election is an ominous sign for the future of democracy,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said during a press conference held at its Dhanmondi office in Dhaka this noon.

The anti-corruption watchdog stated that though the lopsided election may have met the legal requirement, it was held to prolong the ruling party's state power.

The election may not be disputable from a legal standpoint but it remains questionable forever in terms of its political integrity and moral adherence to democratic standards, Iftekharuzzaman said.

Independent candidates from inside the party were given a chance to join the electoral race to the election competitive and participatory, but inclusiveness was not upheld during the election in most of the constituencies, he said.

The election was not held inclusively in 241 constituencies out of 299 parliamentary seats, said the TIB high-up.

He said at least 15.43 percent of votes were cast in the last hour of the election while the total voter turnout was shown at 41.8 percent which sparked controversy in the people’s minds.

The preconditions for holding the 12th parliamentary election in a free, fair, inclusive and competitive manner were not fulfilled, he said.

He said the election was not held in a participatory manner due to the rigid stance of the country’s two major political parties over the election-time administration.

The hostage situation of the country’s democratic future has worsened due to their revers and inflexible political agenda.

Besides, the Election Commission, law enforcement agencies and public administration have acted as a catalyst to implement the agenda through the national election, he said.

The concern over the country's democratic and electoral future is deepening gradually following such election, said Iftekharuzzaman.