Parliamentary Election and Political Violence in Bangladesh

Politics of Bangladesh has been criminalized over the last four decades resulting multi-level political violence. Political violence is particularly high during the parliamentary election period. This study analyses the nature, causes, and immediate fatalities of political violence during parliamentary election in Bangladesh. Secondary research methods have been used to conduct this study. Data were collected using structured checklist technique analyzing the newspaper contents. This study has revealed that incidents of violence in the month of parliamentary election as well as before and after the month of election are higher than other months. People also become more victim of violence in the month of parliamentary election, before and after the month of parliamentary election than other months. This study has found that the main causes of political violence are strike, blockade, internal and external conflict between political parties, political conflicts, political revenge and establishing political supremacy over a certain area. This study also found that police responses to the incidents of political violence is very low. This rationale of the study implies on that the descriptive findings of the study that can be used to understand the issues and formulate policy to prevent political violence as well as to improve political environment in Bangladesh encouraging the democratic culture to fulfill their goals avoiding the means of violence and conflict. Keywords: Politics, Violence, Election, Political conflicts, Democracy DOI : 10.7176/JLPG/89-11 Publication date :September 30 th 2019


conflict etc.
Political violence is mainly more concentrated during parliamentary election period. This is because of frequent hartals, blockades and election clashes. Sree Radha Datta (2005) studied with the trends and causes political violence in Bangladesh. But he did not specifically work with the political violence during parliamentary election period. Md. Moniruzzaman (2009) studied with party politics and political violence in Bangladesh. But he also did not specifically work with the political violence during parliamentary election period. Without these there is no enough related study on this topic in Bangladesh. That's why it makes interest to study about political violence during parliamentary election period. This study aims to analyze the political violence during two parliamentary elections period. This analysis includes nature, causes and immediate fatalities of political violence during parliamentary election period in Bangladesh. Secondary research methods have been used to conduct this study.

Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to find out the real scenario of political violence during parliamentary election in Bangladesh. Specifically, following objectives are formulated for the study: (i) to know the nature of political violence during parliamentary election; (ii) to find out the causes of political violence during parliamentary election period; (iii) to identify the immediate fatalities of political violence during parliamentary election period and (iv) to prepare comparative scenery of political violence before and after the parliamentary elections.

Research Method of the Study
This study has been conducted following the quantitative research approach. Data have been collected from secondary resources, mainly from the widely published recognized national daily newspaper. Every single incident of political violence has been considered as unit of analysis. Purposive sampling technique has been used to select the incidents of violence to analyze for the purposes of the study. Purposively one national daily newspaper has been taken named Daily Prothom Alo.
The political violence in relation to the 9 th (held on 29 December, 2008) and 10 th (on 5 January, 2014) parliamentary elections of Bangladesh have been analyzed. The political violence occurred during before and after six months of the each election were selected as unit of analysis.
Data were collected by using structured checklist technique analyzing the newspaper contents relevant to political violence. The collected data were analyzed by using univariate tools and techniques. The statistical techniques used in the study were: frequency distribution, percentage, and graphical presentation. The results of the study were interpreted from criminological point of view.

Findings and Discussion
This section of the paper presents the results of the study organizing the findings in different themes. The findings are presented mainly according to month of occurrences, characteristics of the fatalities, identifying the parties involved, time and places of violence, responses of the police and causes of violence.

Incidents of Political Violence
Table1.  Table 1.1 shows that the month of December (month of the parliamentary election) contained the highest number of incidents of violence revealing 26.31% followed by November and August (21.05%), September (15.79%), October (10.52%) and July (5.26%). Number of incidents were high in the month of election because then political situation was more unrest for mass gathering, campaigning, assemblies and processions of election. Democracy Watch in their election monitoring report claimed that the 2008 election took place amidst a wide range of violence and terrorism throughout the country.  Table 1.2 shows that the month of January (next month of the parliamentary election) contained highest number of incidents of violence revealing 58.82% followed by February (17.65%), March and April (7.36%), June (5.89%) and May (2.94%). Numbers of incidents were high in the next month of election because, one of the major political party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) didn't accept the election as a fair election and they tried to make the country unstable and that's why clashes were frequent. Besides these, Bangladesh Awami League (AL) activists and leaders were also defensive against BNP and Jamaat-E-Islami (JMT) Bangladesh for their previous oppressions and exploitations. Table 1.3 shows that the month of December (previous month of the parliamentary election) contained most number incidents of violence revealing 33.90% followed by November (22.03%), October (14.41%), September (11.87%), July (11.02%) and August (6.78%). Number of incidents were high in the previous month of election because then political situation was more unrest because BNP and its affiliates boycotted the election for the abolishment of caretaker government during election and they became more violent to make the country unstable. Number of incidents were high in the month of election because then political situation was more unrestful because of BNP and its affiliates boycotted the election protesting the abolishment of caretaker government by constitutional amendment. They didn't accept the election as a democratic election and became more violent to make the country unstable.
Different researches also argue that the electoral violence increases just before and after the month of parliamentary election. Different political parties also raise some issues and make unrest situation just before the election fearing the aftermath of election (Toyoda, Shin, 2012). On the other hand the defeated political parties also challenge the result of election and different violent activities are seen just after the election (Straus, Taylor, 2009).  Figure 1 shows that total numbers of incidents were 253 in the 9 th and 10 th parliamentary election. Between them 65.61% incidents were committed during 10 th parliamentary election period and 34.39% incidents were committed during 9 th parliamentary election period. Numbers of incidents of violence were high in the 10 th parliamentary election period than the 9 th parliamentary election period because of the abolishment of caretaker government during 10 th parliamentary election and that's why BNP and its affiliates didn't participate in election and they didn't accept the election as a democratic election and they became more violent to make unstable the country.  Table 2.1 shows that after six months of election contained most numbers of injured and killed victims revealing 73.08% and 83.33% respectively than before six months of election revealing 26.92% and 16.67% respectively. Numbers of victims were high after six months of election than before six months because BNP and its allies didn't accept the election as a fair election and that's why clashes were frequent.  Table 2.2shows that after six months of parliamentary election contained most of the injured and killed victims revealing 83.44% and 77.70% respectively than before six months of election revealing 16.56% and 22.30% respectively. Figure 2 shows that total numbers of injured were 5286 and killed victims were 151 in 9 th parliamentary election and 10 th parliamentary election period. Between them 22.21% injured victims and 7.95% killed victims were in the 9 th parliamentary election and 77.79% injured victims and 92.05% death victims were in the 10 th parliamentary election. Numbers of victims were higher in the 10 th parliamentary election than the 9 th parliamentary election because then political situation was more unrest for the election and for frequent hartals and blockades of BNP and Jamaat because they boycotted the election for the abolishment of caretaker government and through violence they tried to make the country unstable. Several studies also find that, in the history of Bangladesh election period electoral violence have become common matters from the first election to last election. The common types of electoral violence against person are intimidation, threats, killing, forceful displacement, riot, physical harassment etc (Noorana, 2015). The common types of physical violence of electoral violence are assassination, looting, shooting, kidnapping and hostage taking, forcing disruption of campaign rallies, snatching ballot box, dacoits/robbery, rape, murder etc Besides, after finishing election the common types of immediate consequences of post electoral violence are assassination, kidnapping, rape, murder, looting, shooting, destruction of property, displacement, rioting. (Noorana, 2015).  Table 3.1 shows that during the 9 th parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) most of the incidents of property crime were vandalism (25.29%) followed by arson (3.45%), loot (2.30%) and both vandalism and arson (1.15%)and 67.82% of incidents didn't defined property crime. Table 3.2 shows that during the 10 th parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) most of the incidents of property crime were vandalism (32.53%) followed by arson (11.45%), both vandalism and arson (7.83%) and loot (3.61%) and 44.58% of incidents didn't defined property crime. 100 Different researches also find that, the common types of electoral violence against property are attacks and destruction of property, eviction from property etc (Noorana, 2015). So, during election period many people have to lose their property only for vengeance political culture in Bangladesh.

Fatalities (violence against property)
The consequence of electoral violence is very suffering like displacement of the victims from homesteads hampers their daily lives (Omotola, 2008). On the other hand, violence resulted in the damage of the building or road, cutting trees or burning properties which hamper economic and environmental damage of a country (Noorana, 2015). During the period of 10 th parliamentary election a large number of political violence had occurred in the history of Bangladesh which caused lose of many human lives and property due to vengeance relationship between the two big leading political parties (International Crisis Group, 2015).  Table 4.1 shows that during the 9 th parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) 97.36% of injured victims and 100% of killed victims were male and 2.64% of injured victims were female and there is no female killed victim. The number of female victims were fewer because female are less likely to involve in political activities and clashes. Table 4.2 shows that during the 10 th parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) 96.89% of injured victims and 94.96% of killed victims were male and 3.11% of injured victims and 5.03% of killed victims were female. The number of female victims were fewer because female are less likely to involve in political activities and clashes.  (Suykens and Islam, 2015). These indicate that the electoral violence is the leading sorts of political violence.  Table 5.1 shows that during the 9 th the parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) most of the victims of violence were early adult (10.39%) followed by adult (6.22%), late adult (2.73%), child/ juvenile (1.62%), early aged (1.19%) and aged person (0.51%) and 85.21% ages of victims were undefined. The numbers of early adult and adult victims were high because they are more involved in political activities and clashes than other ages' people.  Table 5.2 shows that during the 10 th parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) most of the victims of violence are early adult (5.54%) followed by adult (4.11%), late adult (2.04%), child/ juvenile (1.48%), early aged (1.05%) and aged person (0.56%) and 85.21% ages of victims were undefined. The numbers of early adult and adult victims were high because they are involved in political activities and clashes than other ages' people. Figure 6.1: Place of Occurrence (9 th Parliamentary Election Period) (n=87) Figure 6.1 shows that during the 9 th parliamentary election period the highest number of violence were committed in Dhaka division (26.44%) followed by Chittagong (24.14%), Rajshahi (20.69%), Barisal and Khulna (9.20%), Sylhet (5.75%),Mymensingh (3.45%) and Rangpur division (1.15%). Dhaka is more violence prone division because it is the capital division and center of Bangladesh. All the political activities including violence are mainly Dhaka centered. Chittagong (biggest division) and Rajshahi are the two important divisions after Dhaka and that's why political activities including violence are also high in these two divisions.  Figure 6.2 shows that during the 10 th parliamentary election period the highest number of violence committed in Dhaka division (22.90%) followed by Rajshahi (21.08%), Chittagong (18.07%), Khulna (11.45%), Sylhet (8.43%), Rangpur (7.23%), Barisal (6.63%) and Mymensingh division (4.82%). Dhaka is more violence prone division because it is the capital division and center of Bangladesh. All the political activities including violence are mainly Dhaka centered. Chittagong (biggest division) and Rajshahi are the two important divisions after Dhaka and that's why political activities including violence are also high in these two divisions.

Place of Occurrence
In the history of Bangladesh the Dhaka division (33.5%) is the most electoral violence prone areas during electoral violence. After that, Chittagong (18.6%) and Rajshahi (14.6%) are also vulnerable for electoral violence. In terms of wounded people Dhaka (32%), Chittagong (16.5%) and Rajshahi (12.3%) are vulnerable places (Suykens and Islam, 2015).   Table 7.1 shows that during the 9 th parliamentary election period (before six month and after six month) most violence were committed by BAL-BNP (31.03%) followed by BCL-BCL (16.10%), BCL-ICS (9.20%), BCL-JCD (5.75%), BAL-BAL and JCD-ICS (4.60%), BNP-BNP (3.45%), BAL-JCD and BCL-JD (2.30%), BAL-JMT, JCD-JCD and JCD-Public (1.15%) and others (16.10%).  . It is seen that the two main political parties Al (22.9%) and BNP (22%) are mainly involved in political violence. Besides various internal and external political conflicts also fuel political violence (Suykens and Islam, 2015). Defects of democratic culture among the political parties lead towards political violence. It is also proved that high level of legitimacy is correlated with low level of violence (Bill, 1973). On the other hand lack of respect to expectation, aspiration, needs of each others also cause political violence (Bluszkowski, 2007). Another research also reveals that marginalized political groups also take the illegal path to take revenge or power (Czyzewski, 2003).

Causes of Political Violence
By summing up the causes of violence before and after election it is seen from the table 8.1 that the during 9 th parliamentary election the highest number cause of violence was political conflict/political revenge (17.24%) followed by altercation/muddled/ provocative language (14.94%), previous conflict (11.49%), internal conflict and possession of hall seat (6.90%), supremacy create and others (5.75%), and obstruction in procession/ assembly and election conflict (4.60%) and 21.84% incidents didn't defined cause of violence. 100 By summing up the causes of violence before and after parliamentary election it is seen from the table 8.2 that that during the 10 th parliamentary election the highest number cause of violence were hartal (25.90%) followed by blockade (22.29%), others (12.05%), both hartal and blockade and election conflict (7.73%), altercation/muddled/ provocative language and obstruction in procession/ assembly (3.61%), supremacy create (3.01%), internal conflict (2.41%) and political conflict/political revenge (0.60%) and 4.21% incidents didn't defined causes of violence.
The root cause of electoral violence of discussed two election period is the caretaker issue. The opposition political parties are very desperate to restore caretaker government system but the ruling government remained unchanged. The opposition political parties doubted about the creditability of election under ruling government (Noorana, 2015). According to Lisa, electoral violence is "An activity motivated by an attempt to affect the results of the elections either by manipulating the electoral procedure and participation or by contesting the legitimacy of the results. It might involve voters " and candidates" intimidation, killings, attacks against their property, forceful displacement, unlawful detentions and rioting" (The Daily Star, April 23, 2013). The electoral violence in 2013 showed a distinctive magnitude with over 30000 wounded and more than 750 lethal casualties due to excessive strikes, road blockades etc (Suykens and Islam, 2015). Internal political conflicts also causes death and injury of large number of people as 595 people were killed due to internal political conflict in Bangladesh during January, 2009to December, 2011(ODHIKAR, 2008. On the other hand, the significant causes of electoral violence are the motive picking up power over and again. Similarly, lack of cooperation among political parties, negligence and domination of ruling parties over opposition are also responsible for electoral and political violence before, during and after the election (Mollah and Hasan, 2018). Unemployment forces the youth to take alternative ways to avoid unwanted dependency over parents and frustration. This frustration may force them to involve in political violence (Urdal, 2006). Bilateral mutual blocking and distance between government and other political parties cause political violence especially  (Peyrefitte, 1982). Distinct values, believes, attitudes, socialization and motivation to achieve social and political objectives also cause political violence (Gurr, 1970). Rapid industrialization and urbanization may sometimes cause loose social ties and alienation that leads toward extreme political violence (Coser, 1967). Social strata, class and economic structure, power structure are also liable for polarization. Dissatisfaction of particular political parties influences them to conduct political violence (Apter, 1997, Burgoon, 2006. Besides, non-democratic culture and lack of initiatives for the solution of small or big problematic issues lead toward extreme political violence (Barkar, 2001). Figure 9.1: Time of occurrence (9 th p arliamentary election period) (n=87) (The time range of morning is 6.00 am to 11.59 am, noon is 12.00 pm to 2.59 pm, afternoon is 3.00 pm to 5.59 pm, evening is 6.00 pm to 6.59 pm and night is 7.00 pm to 5.59 am.) Figure 9.1 shows that during the 9 th parliamentary election most of the violence were committed at morning (25.29%) followed by at noon (21.84%), afternoon and night (11.49%) and evening (3.45%) and 29.89% time of occurrence were undefined. This figure shows that 47.13% incidents were committed at before afternoon. Figure 9.2: Time of Occurrence (10 th Parliamentary Election Period) (n=166) (The time range of morning is 6.00 am to 11.59 am, noon is 12.00 pm to 2.59 pm, afternoon is 3.00 pm to 5.59 pm, evening is 6.00 pm to 6.59 pm and night is 7.00 pm to 5.59 am.) Figure 9.2 shows that during the 10 th parliamentary election most of the violence were committed at noon (13.26%) followed by at morning (10.24%), afternoon (9.04%), night (4.82%) and evening (2.41%) and 62.66% time of occurrence were undefined. This figure shows that 23.50% incidents were committed at before afternoon. By summing up the police response before and after parliamentary election it is seen from the table 10.1 that during the 9th parliamentary election highest number of police response was arrest (19.54%) followed by case filed and immediate control (10.34%) and detained (9.20%) and 49.43% incidents didn't defined police response. From this study it is seen that police response to the incidents of political violence is low. 100 By summing up the police response before and after election it is seen from the table 10.2 that during the 10th parliamentary election the highest number of police response was detained (17.47%) followed by immediate control (8.43%), arrest (7.83%) and case filed (4.22%) and 62.05% incidents didn't defined police response. From this study it is seen that police response to the incidents of political violence is low. These data shows that police response become higher when the incidents of political violence increases as police response during 10 th parliamentary election is higher than the 9 th parliamentary election.

Conclusion
State and politics are interrelated with each other. It is seemed that sound political culture is the key of development. But political violence becomes hindrance for development. Once upon a time, politics was connected with good things like service, benefits and welfare of the people. But now, the situation is that it is an exhibition of power and supremacy over other political parties.
From this study it can be concluded that during parliamentary election period political situation of Bangladesh become more unrest than any other time of the years. From the findings of the study, nine conclusions can be made. First, incidents of violence in the month of election, before and after the month of election is higher than other months of the year. Second, in the month of election, before and after the month of election people become more victim of violence than other months. Third, early adult and adult male becomes more victim of political violence than other age of people. Fourth, Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong division are more violence prone division than other divisions. Fifth, clashes between Awami League; BNP and Jamaat are more frequent than other parties. Sixth, main causes of political violence are hartal, blockade, internal conflict, political conflict; political revenge and supremacy create over one another. Seventh, morning and noon are the more violence prone time. Eighth, police response to the incidents of political violence is poor in quality. For the betterment of the country and the people all the political parties should have good will and follow and practice sound democratic culture to fulfill their goals and should not work in violent ways. Besides this, law enforcement agencies have to work effectively to deter and control political violence.