Bangladesh Opposition must give up violence
After a short period of relative calm, following the contentious general election in 2014, Bangladesh's main Opposition and its Islamist allies are back to their politics of disruption, chaos and violence. This was, perhaps, only to be expected. Neither the leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party nor the Jamaatis have been able to come to terms with the fact that their brand of violently negative politics has failed to further their interests. Both have also refused to realise that by letting their goons spread havoc on the country, they have equated themselves with thugs on the street, instead of presenting themselves as representatives of a responsible Opposition. In the months before the 2014 election, they had done everything they possibly could to disrupt the poll. But while the insidious campaign claimed many innocent lives and inflicted enormous damage on Bangladesh's social, economic and political health, it was, nonetheless, unable to achieve its primary goal: Prevent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from returning to power.
The Government used the full force of the state to tackle lumpen elements from the Opposition, impose order on the streets and conduct the election. In response, the Opposition boycotted the poll and, as a result, the incumbent Awami league contested unopposed in most of the constituencies and effectively cruised back to power. Sure, as a result of the Opposition's petulance, if not downright criminal behaviour, the 2014 mandate was somewhat tainted — international observers, who were too polite to call out the Jamaatis for their thuggery, minced no words in their criticism of the ruling party —but that did not change the bottom line. Today, Prime Minister Hasina is at the helm, she has been heading a stable Government for a year now, and has ultimately managed to secure the support of a large cross-section of Bangladeshis who see her as their legitimate leader. In the meantime, the Opposition has been further marginalised and is increasingly headed towards political irrelevancy. Since it did not contest the election, it has no presence in elected governance and, therefore, appears to have no appetite to participate in public life as a responsible Opposition should. For example, it cannot take on the ruling coalition in Parliament. Having painted itself into a corner, it can now only make its presence felt through nuisance value.
Hence, on the first anniversary of the January 5 election, it is not surprising that the BNP and the Jamaatis have gone back to their old template of hartals, strikes and violent protests, with BNP chief Khaleda Zia having called for an indefinite nationwide blockade of roads, railways and waterways. Four people, reportedly all Opposition activists, have died; Dhaka has shut down; and the rest of the country is on tenterhooks. The Government has deployed a massive contingent of security forces, and, hopefully, this will be good enough to tide over the current crisis. But the potential for escalation remains. Moreover, this kind of politicking cannot and should not be allowed to continue forever. At some point, Ms Hasina and Begum Zia have to come together and sort out their differences. Else, the threat to Bangladeshi democracy will gain further dangerous proportions. This spells trouble for neighbouring India too.