Mujibul Alam Khan / 獨立記者
南亞進入熱鬧滾滾的選舉季，這個地區的選舉經常很激情，有時充滿爭議。孟加拉大選將至，鄰國印度則訂在2019年初，巴基斯坦更是緊鑼密鼓迎接馬上開始的7月大選。印度被視南亞民主大國，而鄰國孟加拉與巴基斯坦從獨立至今依然在為民主奮鬥。
在孟加拉，執政黨人民聯盟（Awami League，AL）是 1971 年帶領孟加拉贏得獨立戰爭的政黨。人民聯盟領袖哈西娜（Sheikh Hasina Wazed）的父親，是被尊稱為國父，極具領袖魅力的謝赫．穆吉布．拉赫曼（Sheikh Mujibur Rahman）。哈西娜贏得 2014 年飽受質疑、被反對黨聯合抵制的選舉之後，第三度坐上總理大位。幸虧有印度在背後撐腰，人民聯盟總算靠著鐵腕手段又執政了五年。下屆選舉必須在 2019 年 1 月之前完成，哈西娜決心挑戰四屆總理，她打的如意算盤，就是在 2018 年 12 月辦完選舉，務必趁任期尚未屆滿前達成目標。
（欲四度坐上總理大位的哈西娜）
孟加拉的地方選舉也在同步進行當中。反對黨雖未抵制，也參與角逐，卻也對選舉的公正度感到憂心，包括媒體披露在選舉期間出現的暴力、作票，和大規模逮捕反對黨成員的行為。選舉委員會也遭到暗助執政黨，行政不中立的批評。接下來的數周還會有多起選舉，值得密切觀察。不只是當地反對黨對選舉公平性提出質疑，美國政府、歐盟和聯合國都公開呼籲各層級選舉都應秉持公開透明的原則。
當地媒體皆預期孟加拉接下來的局勢恐怕會更動盪。
（西部大城昆那市（Khulna）市長選舉，某投開票所被發現誇張的作票行為）
● 參考資料 & 圖片來源
- Kaleque wins : 孟國西部大城昆那市投開票所被媒體拍到公然作票，反對黨後選人要求其中101家投開票所重新投票。
- PM urges media to discard negative frame of mind : 總理哈西娜向媒體喊話，希望放棄負面思考框架，共同為國家利益多做正面報導。
- U.S. ambassador called for investigation in Khulna polls 美國駐孟加拉大使要求針對昆那市選舉亂象展開中立調查。
原文：
This is an election season for South Asia! General election is due for Bangladesh and her neighbor India, in early 2019. Pakistan too is fully prepared to hold general election in July 2018. India has been long regarded as a country of democracy in South Asia. But, but her neighbors, both Bangladesh and Pakistan have been struggling with democracy since independence. Elections in South Asia are always electrifying, and often controversial.
Awami League, the ruling party in Bangladesh, is credited with the victory in the war of independence in 1971. Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina Wazed is the daughter of the charismatic leader and the father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She came to power, a third time Prime Minster, through a controversial election in 2014. The election was boycotted by most of the political parties in Bangladesh. Strong backing from India helped Awami League get away with it, and rule Bangladesh for last five years with an iron fist. The general election is due in January 2019. However, Sheikh Hasina, determined to become Prime Minister for the fourth time, is making sure that the election be held in December 2018 while she is still in office!
Currently, local government elections are being held in Bangladesh. Opposition parties, although taking part, expressed their concern for free and fair election. Violence, vote rigging, mass arrest of the opposition parties before election day was reported. The Election Commission is criticized for siding with the ruling party. More polls are to be held in the coming weeks. While opposition parties are skeptical, the US government, European Union and the UN called for free and fair elections at all level.
Reports by daily newspapers suggest Bangladesh is heading for turbulent days ahead.
(Reference and source of photos are shown above)
