BANGLADESH-POLITICS: BANGLADESH HURTLES TOWARDS POLITICAL C AN INTER PRESS SERVICE FEATURE
DHAKA, Nov 11 (IPS) - BANGLADESH HURTLED TOWARDS POLITICAL CHAOS AS THREE KEY OPPOSITION PARTIES CHALKED OUT AN ELABORATE AGITATIONAL PLAN TO FORCE THE GOVERNMENT TO RESIGN AND AGREE TO PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS UNDER A NEUTRAL CARETAKER REGIME.
THE AWAMI LEAGUE, THE JATIYA PARTY AND THE JAMAAT-I-ISLAMI TOOK TIME OUT FROM THEIR STREET AGITATIONS ON THE WEEKLY HOLIDAY FRIDAY, BUT SAID THERE WOULD BE A DAWN-TO-DUSK GENERAL STRIKE ON SATURDAY AND ANOTHER DAY-LONG AGITATION ON SUNDAY TO PROTEST POLICE EXCESSES DURING THEIR ANTI-GOVERNMENT SIT-IN ON NOV 9.
THE OPPOSITION TRIUMVIRATE TOOK THE STREETS AFTER COMMONWEALTH-BROKERED TALKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT STALLED AND THEY REJECTED THE LATEST GOVERNMENT OFFER FOR THE FORMATION OF A 10- MEMBER INTERIM CABINET, INCLUDING FOUR OPPOSITION MEMBERS, TO BE HEADED BY INCUMBENT PREMIER KHALEDA ZIA TO SUPERVISE ELECTIONS.
CHIEF OF THE AWAMI LEAGUE AND LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT, SHEIKH HASINA, SAID THE RULING BANGLADESH NATIONALIST PARTY (BNP) THAT CAME TO POWER AFTER AN ELECTION HELD UNDER A NEUTRAL CARETAKER GOVERNMENT WAS AFRAID OF IT NOW BECAUSE IT HAD LOST THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE.
SHE STRESSED THAT THERE COULD BE NO FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS UNDER THE CURRENT REGIME.
THE OPPOSITION RESUMED ITS STREET PROTESTS WITH WEDNESDAY'S SIT-IN DEMONSTRATION AROUND THE PRIME MINISTER'S SECRETARIAT. POLICE CLASHED WITH THE PROTESTERS RESULTING IN OVER 100 OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS BEING INJURED. AT LEAST 40 MORE ACTIVISTS WERE ARRESTED FROM ALL OVER THIS CITY.
ANOTHER PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL HALF-DAY GENERAL STRIKE WAS CALLED ON THURSDAY BY THE LEFT FRONT THAT WANTS COMMONWEALTH MEDIATOR NINIAN STEPHEN TO LEAVE DHAKA IMMEDIATELY AND "CEASE INTERFERING IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF BANGLADESH".
STEPHEN, WHO INITIATED TALKS BETWEEN THE WARRING SIDES ON OCT 20, HAS EARNED THE SOBRIQUET OF 'TOUGH NEGOTIATOR' FOR HIS SUCCESS IN REPEATEDLY BRINGING THE SIDES BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE AFTER INNUMERABLE BREAKDOWNS AND HITCHES IN THE DIALOGUE.
EVEN NOW, HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PERSUADE THE OPPOSITION NOT TO RESIGN FROM PARLIAMENT EN MASSE TO PRESS ITS DEMANDS. THE COMBINED OPPOSITION HAS MORE THAN 150 SEATS IN THE 330-MEMBER PARLIAMENT.
THEY HAVE BEEN BOYCOTTING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS SINCE MARCH THIS YEAR TO PRESS THEIR DEMAND FOR THE NEUTRAL CARETAKER GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WITH THE BACKING OF A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY.
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