‘Gladiatorial’ street contests and prospects of fair elections in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Nationalist Party activists blocking a highway entering Bangladesh's capital disperse after police fired tear gas shells during a protest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. — AFP

FROM the looks of it, our two major political parties are preparing for “gladiatorial” street fights as a part of their election preparation. Can this be democracy? There is some logic to mass mobilisation, but having a demonstration each time the opposition has one, and on the same day, how logical is that? Will it lead to a free and fair election or jeopardise it further? As the election is getting nearer, the possibility of a nightmarish pre-election period is driving fear and panic among the people.

We may have dug the first under-river tunnel in South Asia, built a bridge over one of the mightiest and toughest of rivers in the world, made virtual revolution in agriculture and other sectors, caught up with modern cities in building metro, elevated expressway, etc., yet we have not progressed even an inch with our democracy. This is where we have failed ourselves most miserably.