Thanks to EC, CTG
As the New Year began and a new government took office, I felt I must write a note of thanks to the outgoing caretaker government and the Election Commission for managing the most peaceful, decent, disciplined and efficient national vote ever experienced in this country.
I congratulate them for a congenial and harmonious election, and also for the exceptional and exemplary national ID cards and voter roll project they have bequeathed. I must add that Tony Blair as prime minister had wanted to introduce national ID cards in the UK by 2008, but failed to manage it! We managed it for a population double the size in record time and almost flawlessly, which would have been impossible at any time in the past in this country.
The smoothness of the whole operation was another surprise. A well-trained, well-mannered and extremely helpful volunteer, in itself a past rarity, came to my home for me to fill out the initial form. He gave me a date to go to a nearby school where they took my fingerprints, digital photo and gave me a second date to collect my ID, which I received at the appointed time with no hassle. I must add that my name, Ahmad, was spelt correctly whereas even my bank account here (with a foreign-run bank!) spells it wrongly with an 'e'.
On each of the above occasions I didn't have to spend more than 15 or 20 minutes to complete the required process.
On the voting day I went and stood in line around lunchtime for some 10 minutes, though queues were much longer in the morning. In the polling booth I was amazed to see my particulars typewritten with a copy of my photo and signature. This really was a novel experience. I was given a seal to mark my ballot paper, went behind the curtain, cast my vote and came out without any fuss.
It was a historical first for a government-run procedure in all my past experience. And the fact that any of this is worth mentioning says a lot about our past administrations.
My two past voting experiences, needless to say, were quite different. Quite apart from the violence and tensions during past campaigning and election days, the first time I went to vote on arriving at my local polling station, I found my name was not there as it should have been, the second time I arrived to find my vote had already been cast!
What is also worth mentioning this time around is the experience of the past few days, since Election Day and Awami League's landslide win. The peace and calm have lasted, with no zealous gloating, no huge victory rallies or unruliness, no excesses. Nor have the losers held the usual violent demos or caused trouble (so far) - also worth remarking.
One thing has not changed: the losing party's usual allegations of 'vote rigging'. Just one brief comment here: does the BNP really expect anyone to believe that every election official in the country, every returning officer and polling official, every local and foreign observer, every member of the media and even BNP's own party representatives all present during the vote counts were somehow involved in the so-called 'staging of results'?
No. It appears even the BNP's allies and supporters understand the reasons for the four-party's debacle, given their muted response so far to the defeat.
What we can hope is the entire roadmap, process and management of the just-concluded election will be a lesson in administration from the outgoing governing authorities to the future government/s.
Let's see where we are as this New Year begins. Thanks again to the Election Commission and the caretaker government for a truly free, fair and credible election.
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