Army deployed as Bangladesh protests turn violent
Date 2006/11/12 19:15:43 | Topic: Asia
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Dhaka, Nov 12 (IANS) Bangladesh's caretaker government
Sunday night deployed the army in major cities to
maintain law and order after a day-long siege by the
14-party opposition alliance resulted in widespread
violence that disrupted normal life.
The Daily Star newspaper's website said the government
had "decided to deploy the army across the
country". It said the move was aimed at helping the
civil administration maintain law and order.
"It is still not clear when the army will roll onto
the streets," the report said.
However, reliable sources in the government said the
deployment had begun in the capital and other major
cities late in the evening.
There was no formal announcement by the caretaker
government of President Iajuddin Ahmed.
Earlier, hundreds of protesters were injured and many
were missing as violence flared up across the country on
the first day of an opposition-sponsored indefinite
blockade of Dhaka, cutting off the capital from the rest
of the country, DPA reported.
Trains were set on fire, buses stoned and ferry services
disrupted as riot police fired teargas and rubber
bullets to contain the protesters in the capital,
officials and eyewitnesses said.
They claimed some 500 people were injured in clashes
with police in cities and big towns.
Opposition parties said more than 1,000 activists were
arrested by security forces over the weekend. Official
figures on detainees were not available. At least six
people were reported missing after the clashes.
The caretaker government had banned rallies and protests
in Dhaka as more than 15,000 security personnel were
called out ahead of an opposition plan to impose an
indefinite blockade.
The opposition announced the siege of Dhaka to put
pressure on the caretaker government to fire Chief
Election Commissioner M.A. Aziz for alleged partisan
decisions and accept demands for reforms in the Election
Commission.
The possibility of the army deployment had been in the
air after the opposition led by Sheikh Hasina of the
Awami League and 13 other parties launched a countrywide
stir early Sunday.
Political circles in Dhaka have expressed apprehension
of a military takeover, a prospect that the diplomatic
corps actively monitoring the developments and meeting
various political leaders had firmly sought to
discourage.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central
Asia Richard Boucher, who arrived here Saturday to
assess the pre-election situation, had made it clear
that a military takeover would not help conduct a free
and fair election in Bangladesh and urged the caretaker
government and Election Commission (EC) to act neutrally
to ensure each vote is counted and results are trusted.
"The situation here is difficult but the goal is
(to hold) a free and fair election. I don't think a
military takeover would contribute to that goal. That
will be a bad thing to do," Boucher told a press
conference at the American Club.
Boucher, who met the president Sunday, also called on
the political leadership to lower the level of tension
and violence and hold peaceful demonstrations so that
voters get educated about elections.
"The voters need a fair choice. They need to make
their decision through free and fair elections where
each vote is counted and respected," The Daily Star
quoted him as saying.
Faced with a volley of questions on the chief election
commissioner (CEC), he said he would not talk about any
particular individual. As a whole, the EC has a very
important role to play in ensuring the elections are
acceptable, he added.
"Our view is.... a great responsibility lies with
the Election Commission and they need to exercise that
responsibility fairly but carefully in accordance with
the constitution and avoid any outside influence so that
people trust their decisions and election results,"
he said.
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