From Washington, former Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen delivers a bombshell assessment: the February 12 parliamentary elections are a ‘pre-determined sham’ designed not for democracy, but for constitutional overhaul. In an IANS interview, he calls on America to shun recognition, spotlighting the exclusion of dominant parties and key alliances.
‘Parties with 60-70% voter backing, plus 12 allied groups, are banned from contesting,’ Momen revealed, framing the vote as a tool for entrenched interests. This rigged setup, he argues, prioritizes a narrow elite over genuine representation, eroding Bangladesh’s foundational principles.
Economic peril looms large. Momen dismisses hopes for stability or recovery, noting zero new investments amid a ballooning unemployment crisis—2 million jobless youth yearly. ‘They’re crying out, and prolonged instability will shatter their futures,’ he said, blaming the Yunus-led interim regime for ceding authority to Islamist radicals.
Under this shadow governance, human rights erode, corruption surges, and oppression festers. Momen described the administration as ‘the most incapable and powerless,’ urging the US to leverage its democratic credentials by publicly rejecting the polls. He hailed the absence of US and UN monitors as a positive signal.
On the external front, Momen decried anti-India rhetoric as a distraction from domestic failures. Past agreements with neighbors like India served mutual interests, not betrayals as propagandists claim. Worse, ditching balanced foreign policy for China alignment has vilified India, risking South Asian volatility.
Momen’s stark warning: continued misrule invites jihadist entrenchment and national ruin. ‘These terrorists have no religion or nation—only destruction in mind.’ With history watching, his plea to the US signals a pivotal moment for Bangladesh’s democratic survival.