THE facts about the January 7 political event that the Election Commission is calling the 12th general election are getting, as the cliché goes, stranger than fiction. Even fiction writers will find that they are not in the same league as the commission and the ruling party that are co-authoring the tale of the next general election with less than two weeks left for the event.

KAZI Raquibuddin Ahmed, who was the chief election commissioner during the 10th national elections in 2014, allowed 154 Awami League candidates to win uncontested in the 300-seat national assembly. He was aware of such an outcome on the last date for the withdrawal of nomination, a few weeks before the polling day. He allowed the election to be held, nevertheless, keeping to the Machiavellian dictum that end justifies means because he wanted the Awami League to retain power at any cost.

THE United Nations once again turned down the Election Commission’s offer to send an observer team for the January 7 general election. The United Nations has no reason to do so for many reasons with the AL regime’s admission to the media that it will field ‘dummy’ candidates in the election as a strategy.

With the BNP boycotting and key international players questioning its legitimacy, Bangladesh’s 12th national election threatens to undermine the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War. The Election Commission now faces the unprecedented task of overseeing an election that could leave democratic ideals and citizens' rights on shaky ground.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen’s recent visit to Delhi is a case study in diplomatic maneuvering under pressure, aiming to explain Bangladesh’s electoral framework to India and regional envoys. As the U.S. pushes for free and fair elections, Bangladesh’s ties with both the U.S. and India face unprecedented scrutiny, raising questions about the influence of foreign perspectives on domestic politics.