A list of things that could derail Bangladesh’s election

The following list of things that could derail Bangladesh’s upcoming election is prepared from a policy brief of the International Crisis Group.

1. Events such as an assassination attempt on a major political figure.
2. Rise of the Islamist militants to further their agenda.
3. All these could lead to a breakdown of security situation, paving the way for clamping down martial law.
4. Prolonged emergency rule (this is not going to happen) or a flawed election could produce party-led street violence, similar to run-up to the January 2007 polls. In this case the army could feel compelled to step in as it did on 11 January 2007.

It is obvious from the report that ICG is more inclined to prefer the military’s involvement in handling of things in Bangladesh. In a veiled threat, it cautioned: “The parties must not take the international community’s support for elections as an endorsement of their behavior but rather see it as a belated recognition of the dangers of military rule.”

What if the politicians do not behave properly? Well, ICG has the answer: “If they fail, the public and the international community will have little patience for a collective betrayal of their aspirations. Neither will the military.”

No wonder, the supporters of military are becoming more dangerous than the military itself.

Bangladesh: Elections and Beyond by International Crisis Group

Brussels-based International Crisis Group has suggested undertaking five measures for Bangladesh’s return to democratic governance. It warned that a return to zero-sum politics by the political parties could be an excuse for the army step in yet again. And only Islamist forces stand to gain from another military government, it cautioned. In its policy brief, it quoted a prominent writer who said: “what we have here is an embryonic Pakistani military.” A former Army Chief maintained: “the military will have more influence over the next civilian government than those that came before it.”

So, stay tuned for a pseudo-democratic ride in 2009!Read the press release here.

Read the 16-page policy brief here.

Bangladesh Election Drama

Now that AL-JP electoral alliance is over, rumours have it both BNP and JP may boycot election.

Efforts are also underway to make last-minute patch up between AL and JP by tomorrow.

Bangladesh to face greater 'terror horror' than Mumbai?

Is this an advance warning? William Gomes, a Human rights activist, freelance journalist and the Executive Director of the Human rights organization “Christian Development Alternative(CDA) has warned that Bangladesh is likely to face graeter mass destruction of Islamic terrorism in forth coming election. The terror-horror is likely to be greater than Mumbai, he contends.

Read his short and evolving observations here.

Dawood Ibrahim’s Connection in the Mumbai Attacks

Amidst a host of the thoeries that emerged after the Mumbai attacks, an assumption is gaining ground that notorious Dawood Ibrahim had something to do with the Mumbai attacks. Read the story here.