Forget about military takeover in Bangladesh: Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reminded Khaleda Zia that it is not possible to foist an unconstitutional authority on Bangladesh by pursuing a violent movement that lacks political support.

“She (Khaleda) doesn’t believe in democracy,” Hasina said of her bitter rival on Sunday.

“She is hoping for a military intervention. She thinks someone in uniform will put her in power,” the prime minister said, taking a dig at the BNP chief.

Bangladesh has faced several military coups since independence.

Khaleda’s party, which boycotted the 2014 general election, is enforcing a violent blockade across Bangladesh demanding a snap election under a ‘neutral government’.

About 100 people have been killed since the agitations started on Jan 5.

Hasina reminded the former prime minister: “There’s provision for capital punishment [for unauthorised takeovers]. Those you (Khaleda) are waiting for are aware of the consequences.

“Everyone knows what happened to Zia, Ershad, Moeen Uddin, and Fakhruddin. I don’t think anyone will make the same mistake."

The prime minister has already eliminated the possibility of talks with the agitating BNP-led coalition to end current political deadlock.

The military, too, has ruled out an intervention after some quarters spoke of the likelihood of a takeover.

Hasina, speaking at a discussion in Dhaka, referred to the 15th Constitutional Amendment that closes out unauthorised takeovers.

Khaleda’s husband and former former military ruler Gen Ziaur Rahman, who came to power through a coup, was killed in a revolt in 1981. Zia was the founder of the BNP.

Another former army chief HM Ershad, founder of Jatiya Party, was toppled in a mass uprising in the early ‘90s. He has served time in jail in several corruption cases.

The last instance of army intervention was in 2007. Both Awami League President Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda were arrested at the time.

Former chief of the army-backed caretaker government Fakhruddin Ahmed is currently living in the US. Then army chief Moeen U Ahmed is in the US, too.

Hasina criticised a section of civil society who had been pressing for a dialogue with the BNP.

Without naming anyone from a 13-strong committee of ‘concerned citizens’, the prime minister recalled, “They lobbied a lot when we were in power to be cabinet secretary. We granted their wishes. They have become part of civil society after retiring and now giving us lessons.

“There’s a garment businessman. He talks a lot about the sector. He, too, has become one of the 13 members.”

The committee, led by former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, named former advisor SM Shahjahan, Jamilur Reja Chowdhury, Akbar Ali Khan, Rasheda K Chowdhury, Rokia Afzal Rahman, M Hafiz Uddin Khan and CM Shafi Sami, lawyer Shahdeen Malik, Policy Research Institute’s Director Ahsan Mansoor, SUJON General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder, columnist Syed Abul Maksud and business leader Anowar-ul Alam Chowdhury Parvez.

But former BGMEA president Parvez has denied being part of the committee.

The prime minister compared the violence unleashed during the BNP-led alliance’s agitation with that of the Pakistan occupation army.

“For 48 days now, the BNP chief, along with Jamaat (-e-Islami) and several others, has called a blockade along with shutdowns... Their programme does not have public support.

“The only thing they do is kill people in bombing and arson. They’ve started a mass killing like that of 1971.”

Hasina criticised the BNP’s issuing statements from undisclosed locations and calling shutdowns.

“She (Khaleda) is at her office while some of her men are in hiding. They are calling general strikes in hiding.”

The prime minister came down hard on Khaleda for calling shutdown amid the ongoing SSC examinations.

“She is calling shutdowns along with blockade since the SSC exams started to prevent the examinees from sitting the tests.

“She sent her granddaughters abroad [for taking examinations] but didn’t think of others.

“She does not think of anyone else other than herself,” the prime minister said of the BNP chief.