The Facts
Bangladesh's main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has warned that it will boycott January's election and delegitimize its outcome if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina doesn't resign and allow a neutral government to oversee the vote.
Abdul Moyeen Khan, a former minister, said that the BNP "will not legitimize a fake election," alleging that Hasina is undermining opposition parties and isn't willing to conduct a free and fair election.
The Spin
Narrative A
While it may not be on everyone's daily dictatorship radar, Bangladesh has slowly been taken over by an authoritarian regime, as proven by the fact that half of the BNP's 5M members are currently facing legal cases against them. This is a clear example of political persecution, with Hasina's party either drowning her opponents in court cases to stifle their ability to campaign, or outright forcing them to leave the country.
Narrative B
As simplistic as it sounds, the party calling for peace and order is the right choice when voting in a national election. The Awami League, in the face of growing violence from the BNP and other like-minded parties, is trying to save the country from an opposition movement that condones arson and overthrowing prime ministers. Law-abiding Bangladeshis must consider the long-term importance of the upcoming election.