DHAKA, 8 April 2004 — Bangladesh was hit yesterday by another general strike, called by the opposition Awami League to try to force early elections.
The party, headed by former Prime Minister Hasina Wajed, organized strikes on five days in February and March and has called for another today. The country’s main Chittagong port was particularly affected yesterday, and officials said 25 ships were stranded. The Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges were closed.
Finance Minister M. Saifur Rahman described the strikes as “suicidal for the economy” and urged politicians to agree on other forms of protests.
“Hartal (strike) is an inherent political right in a multi-party democracy. But in our case, it has become a suicidal practice, particularly for the economy,” Rahman told Reuters.
“Political leaders should sit together and agree on other forms of protests, so they won’t need to resort to hartals whenever they will be in opposition,” he added.
Traditionally, opposition parties have used strikes as a key political tool in campaigns against governments in Bangladesh, despite complaints from the business community.
Business leaders say strikes cost the impoverished country about $60 million a day in lost production.
The Awami League accuses Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s government of being inefficient, corrupt and repressive, and wants an immediate election.
But Khaleda, in power since her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a landslide victory in elections held in October 2001, says she will stay in office until the last day of her five-year term.
“We are ruling the country with a massive people’s mandate and taking the country on the path of development and progress. Any unconstitutional or undemocratic attempt to disturb these will not be tolerated,” Khaleda said. Hasina has refused to budge from her stance, however, insisting that Khaleda must resign by an April 30 deadline. How they are going to make the deadline effective, however, is something that has confused people on both sides of the political divide.
Financial and stock market operators also opposed the frequent strikes. “Virtually, there are no transactions in banks during strikes. And we suffer operational losses when business stops,” said a dealer with a private bank. “Stock traders feel discouraged by frequent strikes and political turbulence, because in such situations they do not get good return on their investment,” said Dewan Azizur Rahman of Mahbub Murshed and Company, a brokerage firm.
Schools were shut, most businesses were closed and few vehicles were seen on the streets. Authorities deployed hundreds of extra police at strategic points in the capital. Witnesses said police detained about a dozen strike activists in Dhaka.
