Army calls for greater power ahead of elections to cope with ongoing political crisis

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – New clashes between police and opposition activists have led to tens of arrests and caused many people to be injured as a nationwide transport blockade called by opposition parties against upcoming elections is paralysing much of the country. The strike action, which is in its second day, is set to continue as the army seems poised to impose martial law on Election Day at the end of the month.

The Awami League, a 14-party coalition, has called for the postponement of the election alleging the government is incapable of guaranteeing a free and fair election and warning that it would boycott the ballot.

Bangladesh’s president, Iajuddin Ahmed, who has been the caretaker prime minister since October, has instead confirmed that elections will take place as scheduled on January 22.

The security situation is so critical that the armed forces are seeking the power to arrest anyone anywhere without a warrant in addition to the power they already have to arrest any person inside and within a radius of 350 metres of a polling station. Now everyone is waiting for the government reaction.

Analysts in Dhaka note that Iajuddin seems to be unduly slow in acting, seemingly contradictory and confused, most likely trying to gain time.

He has regularly met with his advisers, instructed them to talk to political parties and then acted on his own. Recently he twice acted unilaterally to get the army to intervene but was forced to back down a third time, on December 9, on the suggestion of his advisers, all of whom opposed military action, only to reverse himself a few hours later giving an order to the army to deploy its troops.

A week later he sent them back to the barracks, apparently after then United Nations secretary general, Kof Annan, intervened just before leaving office and warned the caretaker leader that Bangladesh would lose the lucrative and prestigious peace-keeping operations that employ thousands of Bangladeshi troops around the world.