2015 Bangladeshi political crisis

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2015 Bangladeshi political crisis
Date5 January 2015 –3 May 2015
Location
Bangladesh
Caused byUnmet demands by the BNP stemming from the controversial 2014 Bangladeshi general election. [1]
MethodsViolent protests, petrol and crude bombs.
Parties to the civil conflict
Lead figures
Sheikh Hasina Khaleda Zia
Casualties
Death(s)Official account: 55 [2] [ needs update ] (as of 17 February 2015)
Dhaka Tribune account: 75 [3] [ needs update ] (as of 20 February 2015)
Unofficial account: >100 [2] [4] [ needs update ]
Arrested>10000 [5]

The 2015 Bangladeshi political crisis is an ongoing state of political turmoil between the two main political parties of Bangladesh, the Awami League (AL) led by prime minister Sheikh Hasina who is currently in power, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in opposition, led by three time former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Following the controversial 2014 Bangladeshi general election, the BNP raised several demands for a second election under a neutral caretaker government. By 5 January 2015, the first anniversary of the election, their demands were not met and the BNP initiated countrywide protests and traffic blockades. [6] After many violent and fatal attacks on the public by alleged BNP protesters, the AL branded the BNP as terrorists and Khaleda Zia was forcefully confined to her office. [7] The BNP then called the international community for support, [5] but other nations were reluctant to intervene as the BNP's reputation was damaged by the violence and the international community reiterated that the disputes should be handled peacefully. [8] [ citation needed ]

Contents

Background

Events

On 5 January 2015, Khaleda Zia urged members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to halt road, rail and river transport immediately. [1] This marked the start of the countrywide blockade.

On 18 February 2015, a Dhaka court issued arrest warrants for 23 BNP leaders and activists, including Joint Secretary-General Amanullah Aman, and former president of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Sultan Salauddin Taku, for two arson cases. It was passed because the accused did not appear in the court during the hearing. [9]

On 20 February 2015, the Sylhet – Dhaka intercity train, bound for Sylhet at the time, was firebombed when it was driving through the Habiganj District. No casualties were reported as the driver sped away to safety. Reports of attempts to cause derailments has also been reported. [10]

On 25 February 2015, a special Judge Court in Bangladesh issued a warrant to arrest Khaleda Zia in two graft cases involving over US$650,000 after she had repeatedly failed to appear for the hearings. On 4 March 2015 the court upheld the arrest warrants issued against Zia, refusing request to withdraw the arrest warrant, filed by Zia's lawyer. [11]

Victims

A total of 75 victims has so far died as of 20 February 2015 in the country-wide blockade, of which 41 were victims of arson attacks. [3] [12] [ needs update ]

Aid

On 25 January 2015, the Bashundhara Group donated Tk 20,000 ($260 or €240, as of March 2015) to each of the families of the 46 burn victims at the DMCH, totalling to Tk 920,000 ($12,000 or €11,000). [15]

A charity concert named the "Concert for the Burned" was held on 14 March as a fundraiser for burn victims in the DMCH; of which a significant proportion were injured or killed in arson or petrol bomb attacks. The concert is planned to be held at the National Library's auditorium with an entry fee of Tk 250 ($3.2 or €3.0) per person that will be directly given to the DMCH. [16] [ needs update ]

Reaction

In a statement on 13 February 2015, the Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, expressed concern over the Bangladeshi political crisis and called for a peaceful resolution. [17]

Related Research Articles

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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is a centre-right to right-wing nationalist, political party in Bangladesh and one of the major political parties of Bangladesh. It was founded on 1 September 1978 by former Bangladeshi President Ziaur Rahman after the Presidential election of 1978, with a view of uniting the people with a nationalist ideology. Since then, the BNP won the second, fifth, sixth and eighth national elections and two Presidential elections in 1978 and 1981. The party also holds the record of being the largest opposition in the history of parliamentary elections of the country, with 116 seats in the seventh national election of June 1996. It has currently 7 MPs in parliament after 2018 general election. Although the party was initially founded on a nationalistic principle, many of its leaders want an Islamic government and its main supporters are Islamists.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Bangladesh opposition leader Zia calls for blockade". BBC World News. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Two including a female teacher injured in Dhaka blast". bdnews24.com. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Narsingdi arson victim dies". Dhaka Tribune. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Sheikh Hasina rejects talks as Bangladesh unrest toll exceeds 100". The Economic Times. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  5. 1 2 "BNP seeks UN intervention". bdnews24.com. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "BNP demands UN-led probe". The Daily Star . 2 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Syed Zain Al-Mahmood (25 February 2015). "Bangladesh Court Orders Arrest of Opposition Leader". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Cease violence immediately, John Kerry to opposition". bdnews24.com. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Md Sanaul Islam Tipu (19 February 2015). "Arrest warrant issued against BNP leader Aman, 22 others". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Sylhet-Dhaka intercity train fire-bombed in Habiganj". bdnews24.com. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Khaleda Zia's arrest warrant in graft cases upheld". The Hindu . 4 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Death toll now at 73". Dhaka Tribune. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 "Death toll rises to 74 as another victim dies". Dhaka Tribune. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "Trucker, helper burnt in Magura". Dhaka Tribune. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Bashundhara Group donates to burn victims". The Dhaka Post. 28 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  16. ↑ Syeda Samira Sadeque (10 March 2015). "Concert to be held for DMCH burn patients". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  17. ↑ "UN wants peaceful resolution to crisis". Dhaka Tribune. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
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