The national elections may proceed as planned but there remain lingering uncertainties about what follows thereafter, speakers at a roundtable said today. "We are witnessing a unique election - a sort of 'election as you like.' We are in a deep crisis at present. The election might be held anyway, but I am skeptical about what will emerge afterward," Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said while speaking at the roundtable discussion on Saturday (25 November).

The Hunger Project organised the roundtable discussion titled 'Fair, neutral, and competitive election environment: Expectations, realities, and actions' at YWCA conference hall in the capital's Mohammadpur.

Referring to those who remained silent during the last two national elections, Sakhawat Hossain said, "Even those who were previously silent are now speaking up. When I step out, people often ask me, 'I can't vote, what should I do?' My response is, 'Leave it to Allah.'"

Speaking at the discussion, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said the government is determined to conduct elections by January and it is clear that the country is going to witness yet another one-sided election. 

"There is now discussion about dialogue coming from various quarters. Civil society has persistently urged political parties to engage in dialogue. However, given the current circumstances, the opposition party will not be able to participate in the elections even if they want as most of their leaders are in prison. It appears that a one-sided election outcome is looming as our fate," he added.

Sharmin Murshid, chief executive officer of the non-governmental organization Brotee, said, "We are amidst uncertainty and must navigate through it. The very existence of our nation hinges on the efforts of civil society to overcome this situation."

Professor Robayet Ferdous from Dhaka University said, "The fundamental principle of political science is 'government by the discussion.' Therefore, dialogue must persist as there is no alternative. The cessation of dialogue signifies the demise of democracy. Let's not lose hope."

Dilip Kumar Sarkar, coordinator of the voter awareness and civic activism project, said, "The common people in Bangladesh yearn for a fair, impartial, and competitive election. However, forecasts indicate an impending one-sided and violent election. Without consensus among political parties, we fear an escalation toward extreme conflict in the near future. This could lead the country toward an unwanted uncertain future, which nobody desires."