EVEN though the Bangladesh army has denied it is planning to seize power, the very fact that the media is abuzz with such rumours shows the gravity of the crisis.

So far 100 people have been killed this month alone in violence that began last month when opposition leader Khaleda Zia called for a transport shutdown to coincide with the anniversary of last year’s controversial elections.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed made the electoral exercise dubious by amending the constitution and doing away with a neutral government to conduct the polls.

Know more: Bangladesh unrest toll tops 100 as more bodies found

No wonder Ms Zia’s Bangladesh National Party and 17 other parties boycotted the vote. Since then, Bangladesh has lurched from crisis to crisis — with widespread violence in evidence.

At least 1,000 vehicles have been torched, nearly 10,000 people arrested and security forces have shot dead a dozen people, causing the opposition to allege that the government is following a ‘shoot to kill’ strategy.

Even though both of them have shown lack of restraint in what is billed as the ‘battle of the begums’, the prime minister hasn’t helped matters by pursuing a vindictive policy, which has left other parties with virtually no choice but to join hands with the BNP.

A perverse decision by her was to start the so-called war crimes trial and to hang Jamaat-i-Islami leaders for alleged atrocities committed more than four decades ago. This has served to sharpen the polarisation, added to national discord and precipitated conditions resembling a civil war.

Ms Zia’s motive behind the countrywide strike is to overthrow the government and force a new election. Given the prime minister’s track record it is highly unlikely that she will accept this.

Should the countrywide turmoil continue, not only will the economy suffer, Bangladesh’s democracy could be the loser. The army’s official denial is of no value for a country which has seen repeated military coups since its foundation in 1971.

The only choice the two leaders have is to talk and strike a modus vivendi.

Published in Dawn February 25th , 2015

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