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Confrontation across Bangladesh feared

Haroon Habib

Opposition combine calls for blockade to bring the country to standstill

LOOMING BLOCKADE: Activists belonging to the Opposition 14-party alliance participate in a demonstration in Dhaka on Saturday. — PHOTO: AP

DHAKA: The two opposing streams in Bangladesh politics are likely to come face to face on the streets from Sunday with the expiry of the 14-party Opposition combine's latest deadline to prove the neutrality of President-cum-caretaker Government Chief Iajuddin Ahmed.

The Awami League-led Opposition's second deadline ended on Saturday without the key demands being met by Mr. Ahmed.

Accusing the President of implementing the agenda of the former BNP-Jamaat government to rig the forthcoming poll, the coalition chief Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said that since the President had failed to prove his neutrality, "We will have no option but to go for an indefinite blockade from Sunday." Ms Hasina also announced that the programme will be peaceful but cautioned her supporters against falling prey to provocations.

The Opposition coalition, which has been campaigning for reforms in the Election Commission including depoliticisation of the police and civil administration, will cut off Dhaka from the rest of the country indefinitely, and enforce blockade in district and upazila headquarters by taking to the streets, occupying highways, shutting down sea ports, and halting rail, water and land transports. The combine plans to make the blockade a success by bringing the entire country to a standstill.

Meanwhile, the former Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia's BNP-led four-party alliance announced that it will resist the blockade programme.Both Ms. Khaleda and her politician son Tarique Rahman have issued directives to partymen to take to the streets and resist the blockade.

The Opposition combine had submitted an 11-point charter of demands to the President on October 30, urging him to prove his neutrality (since he was nominated as President by a party) by November 3.

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