Badiul Alam Majumdar: Free and fair elections are not enough; structural reforms are necessary

Staff Report: PNN

At a roundtable titled “Free and Fair Elections and Democratic Transition: Citizens’ Perspective” held in Dhaka on Tuesday, Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN), emphasized that free elections alone are not sufficient for a democratic transition; legal, institutional, and structural reforms are also necessary. The meeting was organized by SUJAN at the CIRDAP auditorium and presided over by SUJAN Vice President, retired Justice M.A. Matin.

Majumdar said, “Elections are the first step in a democratic journey, but elections alone do not constitute democracy. In the past, some free and fair elections were held, but they did not establish a sustainable democratic system. Democratic transition means ensuring good governance, protecting citizens’ rights, and strengthening democratic institutions through every election.”

He further stated, “To ensure democratic transition, a clean political environment must be built. The current political landscape is impure due to the corruption of the electoral system. Many unqualified and dishonest individuals have entered parliament, polluting the system. Large-scale corruption occurs under the protection of political parties, involving politicians, some bureaucrats, and businesspersons.”

Majumdar stressed that to change this situation, reforms in the country’s legal framework, institutional system, and political practices are essential. The roundtable also featured speakers such as political scientist Professor Dilara Chowdhury, photographer Shahidul Alam, and election expert Jasmine Tuli, with discussions centering on the importance of these reforms to strengthen Bangladesh’s democratic processes.