on the counselors reporting exclusive stories explosive results out just sierra investigations. any opposition in bangladesh and seems to prime minister tens of thousands of protesters say that shake has seen i should sit down and call in early election. so what's next for a nation meyer and in decades of bitter political life. this is an inside storm, the hello and a very warm welcome to the program is great to have you with us. i'm several venue . she has known as the daughter of democracy to her supporters, an authoritarian to her critics, bangladesh as prime minister, shake a scene that has been in and out of power for decades. but tens of thousands of all

positions supporters have joined protests in the capital deca demanding her resignation. they want a neutral caretaker government to organize the upcoming election. they accuse her governing a want me lead party of intimidation and vote rigging and previous elections. as seen as long time rival is former prime minister collate is yeah, she says the government cannot be trusted to oversee a free and fair vote next year. so what does this mean for democracy in bangladesh, and what does the future hold for these 2 leaders of dominated politics for more than 30 years? we'll get to our guest in a moment, 1st bill, this report from victoria getting b, the 10s of thousands of all position to pool, which is pretest in the capital tackle, cooling for prime minister shade casino to resign. upsize a over the phone. how do we want the phone of this illegitimate government that was elected by a rig? but we want to see the people of bangladesh live in peace costs. they vote safely,

costs the votes themselves. che casita is the daughter of bangladesh, is 1st president, stomach use her as being an awful retiring, but on the highly to ship, the country has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. she's alternated powell with a main rival highly to z, a for more than 3 decades. the heads, the bangladesh nationalist party, the largest in the old position coalition in 2018. she was convicted of corruption charges, which she says were politically motivated. she was bought from running in the election later that year. that pole was mowed by violence shaken, seen it was declared the winner. but the opposition rejected the results accusing the government of intimidation and vote. rigging. the opposition being piece is the government can't be trusted to run free and set and actions next year. either it's cooling for an entry and the government to be in schools. otherwise it

says it will be called the election. the governing a one need, has rejected such clues. we want to send out a message that there is no alternative to a democratic process other than the rule of law. so in the name it's processing the name of any kind of action may should be established. security has been stepped up in the capital to protest and likely to intensify as the election draws closer. victoria gates and beef the inside story the, the time to bring in a or a guess, they're all joining us from bangladesh. so and duncan looked at deer, rashid, you are an investigative journalist rights for the english language newspaper, new, a warm welcome to you. all, let me address this 1st question too. so e mail, tough george member of parliament for the i want me leave the ruling party. the opposition silliness, demanding that the a want me lee put in place

a neutral caretaker government to conduct the upcoming elections. make sure they're free and fair. will the prime minister shaken sienna, do that? thank you, but it's most of what i'm very good evening to who i like that we're saying that next the addiction is going to be free and fit and is going to be under the constitution. existing customer to us, closer to shows this to there is no, i'm good distribution of the system is not gonna be paid in this country anymore. all the next, the lectures are going to happen in the existing constitutional system. our obligation frames. busy asking a government all i can to get a government all in the name of neutral government, which is a completely good us to do, shut the good by the highest pulled up this country. so all we all are bound by that verdict. so in that case, i mean if i'll let you go 1st, supposition,

freight is day one day like 3 and for the election or more of this of for the election, they're going to give us additions the, how on the election commission of the she mentioned commission how we get a whole more free upgrade, i can think of give us a vicious how can be, how can we do like yeah, i mean, the election time government, how that's going to be, i always get the phone. so they're not going in that way. they read and they're like a doing everything for being a i'm going to city show system to fall apart. the assignment is the 2nd. so, you know, we've already gone from everybody the next election. well device and next election is going to be upset election. but do you suppose we can parties on this issue whether they have ways but to see the election of not so it's not only the end of

the building, but the ice is not. it's not in the hands of only, it's in the hands of being the 2 so they should want to go to ship it in the election. but sometimes you take that okay, almost always been being like sorry, well let's ask them if they are going to participate in the next election since you bring at that point, let me turn to remain for a honda will be in the boy cut. the next selection or run in the next direction. thank you so much on the very good evening to everyone. i want to make it very clear at the beginning, but bangladesh is no longer a democratic country to and it has been, it has become a completed one, participate ruled by one person. and it is hallway ish. what to do and not to do how to do the country and how to conduct the election, etc, etc. if you look and 2014 election,

you will see the government was formed without getting a single vote because 153 said wed rent unconscious. that if you see 2018 that's election is mostly known as midnight election, people could in vote at that time, the prime minister stopped with the opposition data and members. and she promised she gave assurance and she said to a few faith on her and she promised that she was going to hold a very fair election as what we see in 2018. the whole election was marred by a rigging and violence and what not more than 50 candidates, so b and b was physically assaulted. our activists and members that are not allowed to participate in the campaign. the falls cases have been filed against them, their houses and cars were vandalized and what not. there was no level playing

fields before the election. so how can we trust on what the government parties say that this time the election will be free and fair to day? i saw small reports, the remainder, a lot of accusations there, and so the rest assured you will get a chance to um, you'll get a chance to respond to those of course. but i mean, there is a question here. will that be in p running the election or boycott the election? you haven't told us very clearly. we are ready to run the election provided the golf fence deb dial hand over the power to a neutral care. take our investment because the history shows that only 4 elections were accepted by every single policy of this country. and those all 4 were conducted under a free, under a cafe gardunyo can pick our top tens. um, it's unfortunate, but the reality is under any pauses on golf bed,

we couldn't have a fair election neither national extra nor any local government election. it was unfortunate, but this is the reality. okay, let me turn to look to dear. we need some explanation here. i think most of our audience will not be familiar with the system of this caretaker government. can you explain to us how that has worked in the past to thank you for having the head of the captive system 1st to introduce the not informed of law, but it was into that did in 1990 island and to 90. and then it was, uh, you know, the military government, uh ruled by the shrouds were z and then we had to kind of, uh, uh, categor arrangement to run the fi fair election. and following that and we were hold on. what is that arrangement? what do you mean there was an arrangement to run and free and fair election? what does that mean is that the election was held onto that you just these who have

a whole the election of the time. so that was meant was transformed legally and that was the inducted into the constitution and nothing had to see. and following that, we had another election and mentioned that a deposit and one. and we found another election, the deputies in 2000 a to uh, in december. so of after the 2008 election. um, unfortunately there is no probation. now it is uh which is basically held under the uh, patrick or arrangement of care. or is it the entire environment we can say uh to understand the global audience, that comment will be selected from the impartiality for neutral on top of that because of the person who are from you know, who are leading from the different sector like that. okay. the sherry from so so those people already have looked at their house. you know, that i'm like,

am i correct? am i correct to describe the system? am i right to describe the system this way under the caretaker government system? 3 months before the election, the parliament and the government would step aside and a what was perceived to be a neutral government would step in for the purpose of overseeing a free and fair election. and this has happened at least 3 times in the country's history. 199620012008. as you just told us, am i right on all of that? yeah, exactly, exactly. but in 2008, there was an exception that uh they did 2 f this 2 years because uh, as a spot in point of time the military intervene company and they were on for a most uh, one of the most 2 years. so they handed over to power. uh that can take a government handed over to power to basically she can see now after she was as a human power to the election in to 1000. she bought after that we didn't find this

kind of in the heritage meant i would say the category or whatever you said into him. but uh when there isn't oh, when we see the 2014 election, there was that there was mark by violence and 2018 election while in your domain. say about that, what happened? i didn't want to explain it to your uh animal. but those are no collection accepted by the majority of the people that and bangladesh. so okay, so that's not really interesting because you're telling us that those 3 elections, you mentioned 962-001-2008 were widely perceived as free and fair. okay. pause there for a 2nd. i returned to use to leave and i'm sure you're going to have a ton of things to say after what, what remained for honda was telling us earlier. but here's, here's my next question. if there was a system in the countries recent past, that allowed elections to be perceived as free and fair by everybody. why not go

back to that system? we had put together arrangement with both all the put together the parties that was not under the constitutional system. the outside that goes to do shows that we had a standing with all the parties that we're going to hold the next 3 elections of the age of governmental, catherine government. what if i may be in the navy would have to use how we corrupted the system, how we developed the system. that's the question i didn't want to go back for that . but if we go back to that, the dots and come up and above all the political dots, a pollution from being the dam, make the purchases done before this got c, the governor's office system. why and why people taught that this jeff took a system is not going to work from scratch anymore. what? because what, what people. but why we talk about the system is no longer it's going to be

effective for us goes that previous the b and b has corrected the system. so that the b and p hasn't been in the power and 14 years, a correct, correct in the system by sig bmt has come up to the system of getting a government. and then they started to go, i went, went to the codes, and the go say the edwards means the body has been made. well, i'm post additional. so the high sort of discovery may say that in the body these, the system is something to do, show that then it's bound up with all the people of this country. and it is bound like in every countries and that becomes people. so we are going to hold the next lecture under the constitutional system. and i want to make sure they have to go to the in by with dish. no, i'm the know i'm going to do show system the election is going to be happen again.

so. so we're saying to everybody outputs your friends, our obligation parties, that oh, under basic district system, how we can hold it, free, free and kind of a lecture to everybody. so we're asking, so this is from the you going to be really the one point we just don't pick them constitutional. so you're saying we're asking from them that you are giving us a vicious, full force, a vicious they're how, okay, how the next election is going to hold, and how that direction that me these gonna, before we get a stand of the election commission, still them to say nothing about it, they have time to make it hello, keep it completely out of the po to go. i'm rest the viruses what they have done before. so they're trying to do that again. so also bad that what they, what they want to do in the countries the okay, because they're trying to different does the life of the people they're trying to

do for the country. they're trying to defy the interests of the people of this country. so we are standing just below that you're saying, no, it's not going to happen. any country. okay. the still remaining for one of the lead us probably to say can see that we have time to go forward with that. we're not going to go back again in the, in the dr. flanagan to remain the b and p is asking for a neutral caretaker government. okay, we've, we've been over that um, but assuming it was just reminding us that has been ruled, unconstitutional. and i do appreciate that that supreme court ruling was extremely controversial at the time. still there is that supreme court ruling doesn't that rob the b and p of of a major option of exactly what you're asking for the caretaker government isn't gonna come back because it's unconstitutional. the, unfortunately, what my friend was telling is not the whole truth. the court in its short verdict may just absolutely peer the next 2 elections can be done under the fair and gets

taken. they have good, i mean neutral and gets it got about. but then in the long body, the details about it, it made it absolutely clear the next election shouldn't be held on the can't take her go mad because it's the necessity of, of, i mean it's, it's under the doctrine of the society and people when people of bangladesh and wants to get pick our government for the fair, a neutral election. and but one thing the added in the details for that. and they said that if parliament which should be fall on the forms of missy called constitution amendment committee in that. but that committee was headed by 2 very senior leaders, the alarm and the one was dodge about. charles ran the other was sure and you can go. so in that community, albany himself itself went and said that jessica government should not be out the list. it should be there in the constitution at list because of the product to go

situation of bangladesh because of this process then because the, you know, of the relationship between the parties it's, it's not the time. busy valesh cats because of that, but one fine morning apple is that somebody calls in for what reason? we don't know. they know it's the best that can be constitution is not the holy koran or a bible. you can change it any time for the sake of people and the chaise twice on this topic. specifically, it has already been changed for more than 16 times. and one thing i want to make absolutely clear that it wasn't there in the cost of tuition before 1996. and it was a while i'm a lead force, b and b come bows b and be a man. that goal is to, to you should incorporate. yeah. take out a document that you need for that. they call our style for 17 to 6 days, based off the move mad, huge crowd tab and uh, you know, and the was,

this is a really interesting argument. i'd like to put this to sleep. i'm actually, you know, roommates, my roommate is reminding us accurately, that in the ninety's, wendy, a while me lee was in the opposition. they were the ones asking for a neutral caretaker government. this is what i said. i don't want to go back to read. it will take long time. i won't have time to explain what somebody say. that's what i'd say in the system. what's the glue when by them, why all really have to hide flip, i can't think of it why it was sitting by. and once again, i didn't mean i did not want to why albany have to put this go on us that. okay. all right, so, so as i say why, on the only thing i can bring back the kids with why? because it wasn't, it wasn't, it was a supplement before. uh, in the well. so why don't when they get to a fight for that to get into that? so, okay. say the airlines and when the was done at the,

at that time there was nobody to the quote. so when the court said that i remember what i'm gonna say to sure if you do the good shot, why don't think of them in the state again that they loved the gold about it. it was the body to it was the vision by the board that maybe next to election can be done by the captain of them in the, in the origin of the body to say, no, it was the decision by the bottom. it would probably be good to take that position bottom. it's a good decision. just because if you should have one more thing is why the adjustment, why being be didn't take any legal steps. they didn't do that. what to the conversation that believe that the deadline, the supposedly that now when the, when, when everything is going to get is that, that's a go. now they should be able to bring back the system. we don't want any the speed you should be change what the some that that they're talking, it's for like 40 years. all right,

so they don't know much as well taken. so i didn't know that the, the people of this country, they didn't accept that. those are going to so it will be the remaining sense. all right, so in your point is well taken and i think by now our viewers have understood that there, that at the heart of this battle, there is a political rivalry over this mechanism that has been in place and is no longer in place for organizing elections. that are wide least perceived as free and fair. we get that. so let's just leave that to the side for a 2nd. then let me go back and look the deer and ask you the big broad question. earlier in the show room mean means opening statement was you need to understand bangladesh is no longer a democracy. so that's the question i want to put to you as a journalist who looked at these things in a dispassionate way. you're not a politician. if you're not running for office. there had been many accusations of democratic backsliding under the rule of shakes has seen a in your view,

is bangladesh still a fully functioning democracy? um, honestly, i have to say snow. and uh, the reason why he is um, you know, the situation. what i see from my eyes, uh, that's uh, i can explain. i don't want to say the more because there is a law which is which we call the deuce does security act. and with that, if i say something which is the government or the security agents, just think of the not suitable for them, they can prosecute to me and i would be due for many years. so i know you are very much out on that. but what i can say, i can say the brochure left in impartiality. so what i see in the, the today when i was covering the violence, i'm in the protest of the opposition party here and talk on. so i saw the, the opposition party leaders, what drives to the car. and they were taken from the spot. whereas the ruling party

man where no pattern being on the street with this dfacs and there's chanting, shouting along with the police, and they were driving and dragging opposition, actives and having to go over to the police. so see that scenario as a, as in a normal perspective, as opposed to be a journalist or the prospect of the simple bond with the she, the citizen. so these are the ping you can, you can see um, 0 one on the box of view and the other hand that we can what we believe in the media, you can say the media is booming, but so most of the media uh you know, it under their leadership of the apartment, so sure casino had the same time how much we can uh, right. its self censorship is really, really one of the biggest issue. every time that journalist is facing in bangladesh . if you see the last 10 years to attend the last uh, 2 of 15 years, you see the uh, thesis offer info is, is that parents, uh uh,

cases of, uh, it's a traditional kidding. and when everything ended up with the sanction of impose by the treasury department of the united states and that the, the number of a and it says it shows can and this was the, does that forensics blog methods significantly. so that was a, you know, kind of a political, a no commitment of from the leadership we're having now. but, but on the other hand, if you see, when we see the us, the diplomats have visited the bottom of the issue of this month. the in fact, the other, the visited and doing a loo visited. so we had told the situation would be a bit more different. um and the point you go, a visit would become uh, would be coming in in the next uh,

in the election. but unfortunately, we see the more violent thing. all right, violence is a happy the, the city and the i across the country and the opposition leaders are being arrested . a very they said it's a very selective. the number is low, but they're hosting those people who are, you know, can mobilize the be protest. all right, move to, dear, thanks for that. and just to provide some of the facts behind what you were just telling us, it's true that the us has shown increasing signs of concern about bank with that she democracy. a few things to highlight here in 2021, washington sanctioned bangladesh, is elite paramilitary force over alleged extra traditional killings. that's one thing to put in our viewers, radars. also, just 2 months ago, the us announced that it would refuse visas to anyone implicated in, quote, undermining the democratic election process. and something else is nowhere, noteworthy from the us side of things, is that they have not invited. the bind administration has not invited bangladesh

to it's the last 2 democracy forms. okay, with all of that said, and we're, we're competing with the time here. silly. do you accept yes or no that there has been some democratic backs sliding under the governance of your prime minister as well as the lead say it just is lakisha slid is meant by about position the english and this is false or to the basis of any issues so the people are talking about it and saying that the issues have been making is not completely rocked. is, is false. so this fall, so the issues of why the spring and the come in the blood is why the spirit of the

war and the home. why that one is not invest, it's proper because they see what he was saying in the regime of only the false do that be over as extra judy show. pretty easy. so now what is the democratic? they're trying to say, if you go back the see this little back, most of the take a little while she's there. all right, let's see how many all the leaders of the q. how many popular necessarily does have the 2 in a broad do i the public mickey, by the way, spring glitch spice. but swing brents. how many of jimmy's has been happen in that time? the only thing about that, i'd just say, like before, a little bit before i want to go back, i would look for what, what are the we can be for this country. so i'm suggesting, in my mind, most rico, some of the wrap, the printer off which is implant. everybody should come to get it for the sake of

democracy for the sake of our country, for the sake of a people. so don't make any minds, don't bring this, i have to jump it back in the drop again. okay, sorry, sorry. so we have to do this to you, but i have to jump in. uh, we're over on time, but i want to thank all of you whole heartedly. we want to hear all those voices and we did for joining the discussion here on alice's here are get smoked a deal receipts sylium of top george and will mean for honda. thank you again and thank you to for watching. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website alpha 0 dot com. and for further discussion, go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash ag inside storage. you can also joined the conversation on twitter or handle at a j inside story from me, several venue in the entire team here in doha bye for now the or the

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