Speakers at a workshop on Saturday stressed the need for focusing on accountability and holding fair elections to ensure a genuine democratic process in the country.

Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), organised the workshop titled ‘Free and Fair Election’, as part of its ongoing initiative to encourage ideological dialogue and democratic practices among young politicians.

The workshop was arranged to promote ideological dialogue among young political activists in the country and strengthen democratic coexistence and pluralism.

Executive Director of CGS Parvez Karim Abbasi and Programme Adviser of FES Bangladesh Sadhan Kumar Das also spoke at the event.

Turning to DUCSU, CGS President Zillur Rahman said DUCSU is a glorious chapter in Bangladesh history as students have always played an anti-establishment role, which is why the nation has always relied on it.

"But the government has never spontaneously held DUCSU elections. The main reason is partisan politics. The last DUCSU election was the weakest and most shameful one," he said.

Zillur said he believes that the upcoming national election is also unlikely to be free and fair. "I do not consider the current government to be neutral. For ensuring neutrality, it is necessary to establish the rule of law and accountability. And elections are indispensable for entering the democratic process," he said.

Parvez Karim Abbasi said accountability must be ensured to reflect the aspirations of the people.

“In Bangladesh’s history, even before it became an independent state, we saw all the country’s upheavals revolving around elections. The central criticism of fascist rule has also been the question of elections. The main aim of today’s workshop is to broaden your knowledge about the steps needed to organize a free, fair, and impartial election,” he said.

Sadhan Kumar Das said a government formed through free, fair and impartial elections is essential to consolidate all elements of the democratic process.  "In the run-up to the upcoming election, today’s workshop is particularly significant.”

Dr Asif M Shahan, professor of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, conducted the workshop.

Throughout the day-long workshop, representatives of various student political organisations from across the country participated.

Despite ideological differences, participants discussed the foundations of democracy, ideological divides, and contemporary political realities together