" Bangladesh stability is fragile as former prime minister wins election "

By © Muhammad Haque 1825 Hrs GMT London Friday 19 December 2008 is the 28th year of AADHIKAR foundation. AADHIKAR the Weekly was first published on Monday 19 December 1980 from London E1 UK. This online AADHIKAR is being published from London E1 UK. The battle for rights continues
________________________________________________________


Bangladesh news: as being reported by the L A Times, USA on 30 December 2008

Bangladesh stability is fragile as former prime minister wins election
Hopes are high that Sheikh Hasina Wajed will bring democracy and peace, but rumblings of dissent are growing.

By Mark Magnier and Nurul Alam
December 31, 2008

Reporting from Beijing and Chittagong, Bangladesh -- An alliance led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, won a landslide victory in the nation's first election in seven years, officials confirmed today amid hopes her strong mandate would help restore democracy and political stability to the troubled nation.

Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country in South Asia with a population of 140 million, has been under army-backed rule since early 2007. Hasina's secular Awami League is expected to form a government after her alliance won 260 of the 300 seats in parliament.


Even before the results became clear in Monday's election, however, Wajed's rivals, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, accused Wajed's group of vote-buying and dirty tricks. Some 200,000 election observers fanned out across the country, including more than 2,000 foreigners.

The charges raised the specter of a return to the divisive accusations, work stoppages and street demonstrations that have made it difficult at times for leaders to govern effectively.

"The opposition may not accept the election," said Ataur Rahman, a professor at the University of Dhaka. "That could jeopardize parliamentary government. We want a more meaningful democracy and a functioning parliament, but that might not take place."


Analysts attributed the lopsided victory to Wajed's poverty-alleviation promises, her alliance's better political organization and a desire for change in the wake of Zia's 1991-96 and 2001-06 administrations.

"Many people voted Hasina out of pent-up resentment over Khaleda's alleged misrule and corruption," said Abdul Aziz, 48, headmaster of a high school in Chittagong.

On election day, authorities deployed more than half a million soldiers and police officers to prevent violence in a nation with a history of political unrest.

"I feel proud to cast my vote in such a festive and free atmosphere," said Jashim Uddin, 55, owner of a pharmacy in Chittagong, shortly after casting his vote Monday afternoon. "We want to see an end to violence and terrorism. . . . In the past, we've had to give payoffs to local political activists just to run a business or do other things in society."

But some were doubtful that a long history of social and political corruption could be easily reversed. Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International ranked Bangladesh 147th in its 2008 corruption-perceptions index of 180 countries assessed.

Wajed and Zia both served time in prison recently on corruption charges, although each has denied wrongdoing and said their detention was politically motivated. Others disagree. "Both sides are equally corrupt," said Golam Hossain, professor at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka.

Over the weekend, supporters of the two archrivals clashed, leaving 85 people injured in three different districts, the United News of Bangladesh reported.

Analysts said Wajed has an opportunity to learn from the mistakes she made during her 1996-2001 tenure as prime minister but expressed concern that voters' high expectations could turn to anger if she doesn't deliver soon on promises to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

The prospect for instability also raised concern that the military could step in again. "It is difficult to rule out the possibility of the army taking over if there's massive mismanagement or public unrest during Hasina's tenure," said the University of Dhaka's Rahman.

mark.magnier@latimes.com