“We’re optimistic about winning but if something else happens (if AL loses), we’ll accept it,” he told UNB in an interview a day before the parliamentary polls. “We believe in democracy.”
Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, is seeking a third consecutive term in office. “The prime minister has been talking about free, fair and participatory election. She has said ‘we’ll return to power if people vote for us, if they don’t, then we won’t,” Imam said.
AL’s main rival, BNP, has joined forces with Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikyafront. But the party’s chief Khaleda Zia is currently in jail. Although BNP and its allies boycotted the 2014 election, it has said it will participate in Sunday’s election.
HT Imam thanked the Election Commission (EC) for ensuring the participation of all political parties.
AL leaders say they are confident about victory but also worried about, what they say, “violence unleashed by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.” BNP has been complaining about attacks on its campaigns and arrest of its leaders and activities across the country.
Oikyafront and BNP candidates were largely absent on the streets before the polls. When asked about the sloppy campaign of Oikyafront, Imam said, “I think it’s their strategy.”
“They haven’t put up posters in Dhaka city. Instead, they’re complaining that they’ve been held back. They’re saying they can’t find polling agents. Actually, they aren’t enlisting polling agents so that they can complain. We knew they’ll apply these strategies to take advantage,” he said.
Imam said the government has planned to make the EC stronger.
“Dispelling the lack of people’s faith in the election system will depend on how this election is held by the EC,” he said.
Imam said people will have to remain alert if the BNP-Jamaat alliance’s movement turned undemocratic as it did in 2014.
Overall, Imam said, he was feeling quite upbeat.
“Seeing the election campaigns and participation of all the parties [in the election], I’m optimistic about the future of democracy in Bangladesh,” he added.