Bangladesh politics is preparing for a fresh twist in the battle of political one-upmanship between Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina and her arch rival, two time prime minister and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Khalida Zia.
Zia stands with her back to the wall following the Supreme Court’s decision to set the stage for her trial on allegations of embezzlement of funds. If the charges are proven in court, she stands to face a life sentence.
A lengthy sentence would certainly send Zia into political wilderness and, given that she has often proved to be a thorn in the flesh for the country’s prime minister in this winner-takes-all battle of wills on numerous occasions, it will allow Hasina more room to manoeuvre and further her party’s domination.
The current scenario could instigate political and social unrest in Bangladesh, that it can ill afford. The international community has already condemned Hasina’s triumph in January’s general elections to be a farce and this current chapter in the ongoing conflict between two leaders could tilt Bangladesh off balance even as it enjoys economic growth, but also copes with steady influx of Islamists in social and political circles and the keen scrutiny of the military. Both the rivals are priming their sons as successors, but the priority should lie in burying the hatchet for the well being of the nation. The prime minister must shun her hard-line approach and be more inclusive in governance. Administering a country without an opposition suits her for the moment, but in the long run a democracy like Bangladesh will lose the goodwill of the international community if it operates on a one-party rule.
