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News Analysis: Escalating Opposition Strikes Unlikely to Achieve Ultimate Success
The escalating opposition strikes in Bangladesh have set the Awami League (AL) government in serious trouble in the past weeks, causing many casualties, harming the economy and disturbing normal life, but its ultimate objective to unseat the government may not achieve success.
Since February 1, the four-party opposition alliance and pro- Islamic groups have staged five hartals (destructive strikes) in Dhaka, port cities and nationwide, protesting the High Court verdict that declares any fatwa (edict) not given by a court is unauthorized and illegal, and demanding release of two leaders of Islamic Oikya Jote (IOJ).
Besides the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami and IOJ, some other smaller Islamic groups, who even oppose leadership of woman, have joined hands with the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on the issue.
Most illiterate people of Muslim Bangladesh, who even do not know the anti-liberation role of the Islamic parties in the country's liberation war, are easily molded on religious issues.
BNP led by Khaleda Zia is trying to make the best use of the fatwa issue as its all past endeavors to pull down the AL government failed since AL came to power in 1996 after 21 years.
Local political observers said BNP has virtually fallen into the grasp of fundamentalists' politics. Under certain compulsions, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had to give hartal call for release of the so-called religious leaders who even do not believe in leadership of woman at state level.
According to media reports, the consecutive destructive strikes has left 13 persons dead and many more injured, which in turn gives the opposition a good excuse to launch more strikes.
It seems that BNP and the Islamic fanatics try to reach its ultimate objective by crippling the economy as they have targeted sea ports and communications as AL did in ousting the BNP government in 1996.
Even with negligible pretext, they are calling hartals in the port cities besides countrywide strikes. On Sunday, the opposition alliance called a day-long hartal in Chittagong, the country's economic hub, following the arrest of a student leader of BNP's student wing.
Reports from southwestern Mongla port said violence may erupt at any time as political parties are fanning factionalism among port workers. The deteriorating situation has prompted speculations that International Maritime Port Association may declare the port an "exclusion zone."
The opposition parties also resorted to destructive activities to force the government to step down ahead of the next general election with the motive of hurting its popularity.
During the past week, there were reports from several places that fish plates of rail lines were removed. At least two people were killed and dozens injured Wednesday in a train accident caused by the sabotage.
The government was prompted to declare red alert for guarding the railways and bridges immediately, and it has also declared red alert at power stations, railway, airports, filling stations and other important establishments across the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seemed confident in crushing the current turbulence as she dismissed the possibility of declaring the state of emergency in the country and reaffirmed that the general election would be held on time.
During AL's governance, Bangladesh has achieved smooth economic growth and strengthened diplomatic ties with the United States and Japan. Since the next general election is only several months ahead, observers here don't see the necessity of the resignation of the government.
Moreover, the destructive means of hartal has done great harm to common people, whose participation in the current opposition- staged unrest is almost absent. The opposition alliance could not yet bring the common people in their move for an upsurge they are seeking, as what AL did successfully against the then BNP government in 1996. Hence political observers here see thin possibility of BNP's success in unseating the government.
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