A step to separate army from politics

The eviction of Bangladeshi opposition leader Khalida Zia from her residence at the Dhaka Cantonment could be seen as a significant step in reducing the army's influence in the country's politics — often interrupted by the military.

Khalida, whose Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has ruled the 39-year-old republic for more than 16 years, enjoys strong support within the army. The party, established in 1978 by the army then led by Khalida's late husband, General Zia-ur-Rahman, was seen to be first protecting the army's interest, then that of the people. Zia and Khalida subsequently managed to transform the BNP into a people's party by involving the electorate. However, her cantonment residence always raised questions about her party's close links with the army.

That residence is one of the two given by the state following Zia's assassination in 1981. She owns a second home in a posh neighbourhood in Dhaka. Last month a court ordered Khalida to vacate the cantonment residence, following her party's plea to overturn a government directive to do so.

Although the eviction is part of a revenge campaign by the present government, whose leader Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina was evicted by Khalida during her last tenure, Khalida nevertheless will earn public respect for honouring the court order.