SHEIKH Hasina Wajed was sworn in for a second term as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. It was a week after her Awami League won a landslide victory in the election on January 5 which was marred by violence and boycotted by the Opposition. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led 18 party Opposition shunned the elections which became a farce. Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the BNP and former Prime Minister demanded a neutral caretaker regime to oversee the polls and was not amenable to any other proposal from Sheikh Hasina. A total of 29 lawmakers took the oath as Cabinet ministers. 17 MPs became state ministers and two deputy ministers. It is significant that foreign minister Dipu Moni, home minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and minister without a portfolio and minority leader Suranjit Sengupta were dropped from the previous government.
The Awami League won over two-thirds of the 300 seats in the Bangladesh Parliament. But without the BNP in parliament, it signifies nothing. Over 160 people have been killed in poll-related violence since November. The Jatiya Party headed by ex military ruler H.M. Ershad won 32 seats and will be the main Opposition party in the Bangladesh parliament. Although the US wanted fresh polls to be held and Sheikh Hasina was not opposed to it if the BNP dropped street violence, such a prospect now seems remote and political stability in Bangladesh appears wishful thinking. Minorities are at the receiving end of continuing violence. Attack on Hindus continues after the new cabinet is sworn in and one has been killed. India has reason to be disturbed.
