Author: Haroon Habib
Publication: The Hindu
Date: February 1, 2003
URL: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/02/01/stories/2003020102261700.htm
A few socio-political developments,
at home and abroad, have led observers to think that the four-party alliance
Government led by Begum Khaleda Zia in Bangladesh may be becoming "unstable''.
The unbridled increase in the price
of essentials, inclusion of the country by the United States in the terror-risk
list, the indemnity ordinance providing immunity to troops involved in
the recent anti-crime drive and the growing tensions on the border with
India on issues of "push-ins'' and ``push-backs'' may be affecting the
Government's stability, a major independent daily, Prothom Alo has reported.
While the Government has become
"over sensitive" on the issue of ``protecting the country's image abroad''
and arrested a number of journalists on charges of "sedition", a key Western
diplomat remarked that the Government had to be blamed for Bangladesh's
poor image abroad.
Reacting to concerns that Washington's
decision to include Bangladesh in the terror-risk list would damage its
international image, the U.S. ambassador, Mary Ann Peters, said it was
not a decision taken by the U.S. but "some recent developments, including
providing indemnity to the joint forces have worsened the country's image.''
Ms Peters, who has all along been defending the BNP-Jamaat Government despite
criticism by secular lobbies, made the vital observations when a high profile
business delegation met her to express their concern over the terror list
issue.
To the embarrassment of the Government,
she told the businessmen that the indemnity ordinance had not been welcomed
by the West, particularly the U.S. Despite criticism, the Government has
placed the ordinance in Parliament for approval.
The ruling alliance recently lost
the high profile Narayangonj and Magurawhich municipal elections to the
main opposition Awami League, denting the Government's popular image.
"The internal crisis is deepening
and it is difficult to know how the Government is running'', a number of
unnamed senior Ministers were quoted as saying by an influential daily.
Contrary to expectations, India-Bangladesh
relations have entered a new phase with most national dailies reporting
"serious tension'' over repeated "push-ins'' and "push- backs'' by the
Border Security Force of India and BDR of Bangladesh. The two border forces
have also exchanged fire many times.
The BDR and villagers foiled several
attempts by the BSF to push hundreds of "Bengali-speaking'' people across
the border, said Bangladesh newspapers.
The BDR has doubled the number of
its troops in the border town of Benapole after the BSF tried to push in
hundreds of people at night, The Daily Star reported.
The Government of India, has meanwhile,
termed the push- ins charges as "baseless'' and "absurd" and asked Bangladesh
to realise the seriousness of the problem of illegal immigration.