Bangladesh government arrests thousands of opposition members
Bangladesh is one of the most populous countries in the world and a poor one at that. Shortly before the elections, trouble is brewing - and the government is cracking down on its critics. Activists and politicians from the strongest opposition party end up in prisons, which are now overcrowded.
According to human rights activists, the authorities in Bangladesh are taking violent action against opposition representatives ahead of the parliamentary elections. Almost 10,000 activists have been arrested, according to the organization Human Rights Watch (HRW). In addition, numerous members of the main opposition party BNP are also being prosecuted. According to the party, around half of the five million BNP members are "subject to politically motivated persecution", HRW reported.
One of the activists told HRW that no one was spared in the arrests, from the leadership level to the grassroots. According to the organization, the prisons have reached twice their capacity.
The parliamentary election in Bangladesh is scheduled for January 7. For months, the opposition has been holding mass protests demanding the resignation of head of government Sheikh Hasina, who has been in power with her Awami League party since 2009 and is running for a fourth term in office. The opposition is also calling for a free and fair vote.
Several dead during protests
"The Bangladeshi authorities are carrying out mass arrests of the political opposition" with the clear aim of destroying the opposition and "eliminating competition before the parliamentary elections", HRW explained. The New York-based group spoke of a "violent autocratic crackdown".
Since the outbreak of the protests in October, at least 16 people have been killed, including two police officers, HRW continued. More than 5,500 people have been injured. The human rights organization based its report on interviews with witnesses, video analysis and police reports.
The Bangladeshi government has not yet responded to the report. The police accuse the opposition of setting fire to almost 290 vehicles, mainly buses, during nationwide strikes and blockades since the end of October.
Source: www.ntv.de
