Elections and Democracy in Bangladesh: Challenges for Free and Fair National Elections

Election is the heart of the practice of democracy. To have the essence of democracy, elections must be free and fair. To make the election meaningful, it must be conducted at free and fair manner. Every democratic country resorts election for choosing their representatives. The process of democratisation was started in Bangladesh following the independence in 1971. But it was not so much encouraging. The democracy has proceeded in the midst of ups and downs. The people of Bangladesh have seen many national elections from the independence. These elections have put forward many factors that influence the electoral process. This study reveals that violence, anomalies, money and muscle power, weak or partisan role of election commission (EC) influences the electoral process in Bangladesh. These are the challenges to free and fair elections. There are also some other issues which are seen in the every national election. This study explores that the real challenge to free and fair national election in Bangladesh is not constitutional or administrative but political. Electoral problems in Bangladesh are created by political parties themselves. The activities of the political parties during the election shows that so.