Hartal in the Time of War

The general elections held last year merely changed the seats of the belligerent parties and not the state of political war within Bangladesh. For the moment, the political tension in Dhaka is explained by the simple fact that Begum Khaleda Zia is mad at Sheikh Hasina Wajed for being the Prime Minister, a post she held once. Earlier, before the June 1996 elections brought her to power, Sheikh Hasina used to be similarly incensed towards Begum Zia for the same reason. It seems that violence and vegetables sprout aplenty in Bangladeshi winters. As the chill of winter sets in, the country´s political climate also begins to heat up. A rocket launcher is found hidden inside one of Dhaka´s overhead water tanks, and the word is spread that it was meant to finish a major leader of the Government party. Begum Zia, on a trip to her constituency in North Bengal, narrowly misses injury as a marauding truck sideswipes her vehicle – an assassination attempt, cries out her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Violence from both sides is promised and feared. Young men are being groomed for mayhem and hand-crafted bomb production is on the up. The BNP and Awami League (AL) have by now accused each other of everything possible under the sun, including treason, smuggling, cohabitation with anti-liberation forces, conspiracy with India, protecting thugs in forever-young "youth wings" and so on. The vitriol is poured out eagerly by both sides, and the mutual hate level is at an all-time high. One might even have enjoyed the drama if it did not hurt the people so.