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| Bangladesh |
| Hasina's deal with Islamists sparks criticism |
| 2006-12-27 |
| Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has struck a deal with a radical Islamic group ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections, a leader of the group confirmed on Tuesday. But the agreement between Hasina’s Awami League and Khelafat Majlis, considered a pro-Taliban movement with some of its leaders and activists allegedly trained in Afghanistan, has drawn widespread criticism for derailing Hasina’s policy of secularism and stance against radicalism. A Majlis leader on Tuesday confirmed the deal, concluded at the weekend, saying: “Now we will be able to contest some seats as part of a bigger group.” Terms of the agreement included enacting a blasphemy law and allowing “fatwa” - an edict against anyone criticising Islam or its teachings. “This is horrible...and unacceptable,” said Hasanul Haque Inu, a Hasina ally and head of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal party. “We don’t take any responsibility for the deal. It will influence our election results,” said Rashed Khan Memon, chief of Workers’ Party and another backer of Hasina. But Abdul Jalil, general secretary of Awami League, said the aim of the deal was to muster strength to defeat Hasina’s main rivals, immediate past Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami. But analysts and some Hasina supporters said Khelafat Majlis, who unsuccessfully lobbied the BNP for a berth ahead of the Jan 22 poll, was a much more radical group. |
| Posted by:Fred |