Bangladesh was paralyzed Sunday, the first day of indefinite
blockade enforced by former opposition Awami League (AL) who led
14-party combine to force the caretaker administration to meet the
11-point demand of the party, including removal of chief election
commissioner (CEC) to hold a credible election.
The first day blockade was by and large peaceful amid tight
security as there was no report of major violence from anywhere in
the country except a few sporadic disturbances of chase and
counter-chase between security force and the activists of the
combine.
The activists of the combine stopped trains in several places
and then the activists laid on the railway track. They torched a
train near Dhaka, but there was no report about any dead or
injury.
In the capital, the caretaker government posted about 20,000
security forces, including police, anti-crime elite force Rapid
Action Battalion (RAB) and para-military Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to
quell any untoward incident like that occurred in late last
month.
Similar blockade was enforced across the country from Oct. 28
for three days during which AL activists fought with their rivals
of immediate past ruling party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
and its coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami, leaving at least 30 dead
and hundreds wounded.
AL chief Sheikh Hasina extended its deadline to caretaker
government Chief Adviser and Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed
until Nov. 11 allowing him to show his neutrality for holding a
free and fair election in January next year.
President Iajuddin took over the post of Chief Adviser of
caretaker administration as both AL and BNP failed to search out a
compromise candidate for the post to supervise the national
elections in line with the constitution.
The main demand of the 14-party combine is to remove CEC MA Aziz
and his three deputies as what combine leaders say they were loyal
to BNP. Aziz also made him controversial at the time of updating
the voter list.
Aziz was asked by different political parties to step down, but
Aziz said he will not resign. He also said a clean election is
possible under him.
The activists of the combine Sunday took position in 27 entry
points in capital. They held rallies in different areas where the
activists set fire on effigy of Aziz. They also shouted slogans
asking Aziz to go and the president to meet the demands. All
transport movement came to a halt across the country for which
Bangladesh's major seaport in southeastern Chittagong could not
handle goods.
Business leaders earlier said a day's shutdown causes US$60
million economic loss to this South Asian country with the
population of 140 million.
Schools, colleges and shopping centers were shut across the
country. There was no movement of transport in the capital except
the three-wheeler paddle rickshaws, one of the major mode in the
country.
(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2006)
