Only two days ahead of the parliamentary elections on Sunday, the opposition alliance called 48-hour shutdown across the country in their desperate bid to foil the polls. Non-stop blockades began on November 26 only a day after the Election Commission announced schedules. At that time, the two parties were in a negotiation. Apparently, announcement of the polls date mean that the meetings between the Awami League and the BNP leaders ended inconclusive. Another shutdown means legitimising massive violence!
The opposition BNP-Jamaat-led alliance wants that Sheikh Hasina steps down as prime minister and the government frees its leaders while the ruling AL says the elections must be held under Hasina and BNP should cut ties with Jamaat to join the polls-time government. Khaleda’s elder son Tarique Rahman who is the most influential authority in party wants to return home from the UK, but the government won’t allow him.
During the current regime, one of the most significant problem for the opposition is the war crimes trials under which the local collaborators – who sided with the Pakistani occupation forces by forming militia teams to commit crimes against humanity – have been tried. And most of those criminals are from the Jamaat and the BNP while in a small number in AL. As masterminds, former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam, current chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, influential leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and Delawar Hossain Sayedee have been given punishment but the execution is pending. Among the other convicts, BNP has its standing committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and former minister Abdul Alim who have been given death sentences for genocide, murders, rape, and other serious crimes. So far, only one war criminal have been executed while six cases of death row convicts have been pending with the Appellate Division.
Since the government came to power with a huge mandate, especially because of its pledges to try the collaborators, change the political culture and uproot corruption, the Jamaat has got much time to launch a counter attack. Now they’re at the final stage and have been orchestrating violence since October 2012, and at its extreme since November – after a mindless series of attacks in early February and from February 28-March 10. They declare war against the government, the tribunals, the pro-liberation people in public. And they do it on the streets with the law enforcers, when many pedestrians have been killed so far. They also carry out destruction on the rail tracks-highways, burn schools, shops, vehicles.
As the BNP-Jamaat has joined hands together on one common cause, the government is confronting them together – it is using its force to quell violence on the streets and highways, and arresting accused attackers in joint drives at homes and other places. And now the opposition says the law enforcers are using excessive force. I support crackdown on the Jamaat men.
Meanwhile, as the opposition has apparently failed to stop the polls, it appears that the army, India, the US and the UN are favouring the current regime. It’s not, however, clear how long they’d support Hasina. The premier has announced that negotiations may resume after the new government takes oath. It means another election will be held within April, if Khaleda and Hasina can reach a consensus.
And at that time, the AL will come out in the elections as the opposition through the recent violent agitations has lost popularity as people suffered the most. In Bangladesh, there are always 30-35% floating voters.
The absence of respect for the constitution and the rule of law, let alone the God, is the only the reason why Bangladesh is facing this HELL-like situation now, like before!