Nov 14, 2010

Awami League Takes on Political Opponents

A Dhaka court on 31 October issued a warrant for arrest of Arafat Rahman, the youngest son of the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia in a money laundering case. Arafat, is undergoing medical treatment in Bangkok since July 19, 2008 after his release on parole. Khaleda Zia is also on notice to vacate her house, an army property allotted when her husband General Zia was the Army Chief in the Cantonment area. Thus of confrontation between the Awami League the ruling party and BNP the opposition seems to brewing up over the past few weeks.

The war crimes tribunal set up by the Awami League government in which a number of Jamaat leaders allies of the BNP are involved is also a pointer in this direction. The inter party feuds may spill over to the streets in the days ahead given that the BNP does not enjoy enough strength in the Parliament to raise issues in that forum and thus may increasingly opt to be active on the streets. How much local support apart from a few BNP loyalists that the party is able to muster would determine the nature of the protests as the Party has lost some of the sting at the grass roots. Since Jamaat its main supporter is also in disarray how much the BNP is really able to mobilize in road side protests and bandhs remains to be seen. At the moment it appears to be weak given that despite some extreme pressures, the reaction has continued to be muted.

NOV 2010