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Analysis news |
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With the aim of a credible poll
By Anis Ahmed BANGLADESH’S major political parties expressed doubts yesterday about the army-backed interim government’s commitment to holding a promised free and fair election before the end of the year. The government, headed by former central bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed, took over in January last year. Leaders held in the anti-graft drive included former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia, who head the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Khaleda’s son and political heir Tareque Rahman. The government said its actions were a necessary step to clean up politics before handing the country back to elected politicians. But the BNP and Awami League have threatened to boycott the elections unless their top leaders are freed unconditionally and a state of emergency lifted. The parties are angry that the government has not eased emergency rules that place tight restrictions on political gatherings and other activities. They have also cried foul over an Election Commission order that all political parties must register by mid-October — fulfilling a number of conditions — if they wish to contest the December parliamentary election. The rising political tensions were highlighted on Monday, when supporters of the BNP’s Khaleda went on a rampage in Dhaka, burning and damaging vehicles in a protest in which one man was killed and nine injured. Seeking to soothe friction between the government and political parties, Fakhruddin reiterated yesterday that the national election would be held in December. A senior government official warned that a boycott of the election by the main parties would have serious consequences. — Reuters |
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