B'desh opposition mulls more protests

Bangladesh's main opposition party and its right-wing allies are mulling tougher street campaigns to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pay the way for elections under a non-party caretaker government.
Opposition sources said Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance was contemplating a fresh three-day nationwide shutdown from November 4 or a tougher campaign like "siege Dhaka", blocking the capital's road communication systems with rest of the country.
This week BNP-led 18 party alliance had enforced a 60-hour nationwide strike which claimed at least 20 lives.
"We will let you know our final decision tomorrow," a BNP spokesman told reporters adding that BNP chief Khaleda Zia was entrusted with the task of taking the decision on the mode of protest.

Media reports, meanwhile, said the alliance have already formed committees to "resist" the next parliamentary polls due in January under the incumbent government. Right-wing Hefazat-e-Islam announced a plan to stage a grand rally in Dhaka on November 15 to extend their hands to the opposition.
Awami League led 14-party ruling coalition, on the other hand, is set to stage a mammoth rally in Dhaka on Sunday and asked their activists to mobilise strengths to thwart the opposition "plot" to stall the polls.

Hasina also asked party and alliance leaders at grassroots to build up resistance in every locality and village against the opposition's "evil designs" as she held a meeting with party delegates from across the country.

The BNP-led opposition is spearheading a campaign for installing a poll time non-party caretaker government while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina suggested an all-party interim cabinet for election oversight.
Zia said a person who would be "most acceptable" to both the two sides would head the election time government while the incumbent premier saying polls under her supervision would not be credible.
Foreign Minister Dipu Mini, meanwhile, told foreign envoys in Dhaka yesterday that the incumbent government was pledge-bound to hold the upcoming elections by January next year while it would firmly handle obstacles on way to the polls.
"I would like to assure you once again that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Government remains firmly committed to arresting such mindless violence and creating the enabling environment for holding of free, fair and credible elections by early next year," she told the ambassadors.