Bangladesh stares into abyss

DHAKA (Jan 6, 2014): Bangladesh's ruling party defied pressure today to open talks with the opposition after its walkover win in an election which was marred by unprecedented bloodshed, boycotts and low turnout.
Despite warnings that Sunday's crushing victory did not amount to a mandate, the ruling Awami League vowed to "eliminate militancy" as the death toll from election day violence rose to 24.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which refused to field candidates in the election, ratcheted up the pressure on the government by extending a general strike until tomorrow.
Newspapers said the government was leading Bangladesh towards disaster but one of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's top lieutenants ruled out early dialogue with the BNP to agree on a framework for a new vote.
"We're not thinking about talks right now," Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud said.
"Our top priority now is to form a government and contain violence. We have to eliminate violence and militancy to give the people a breather."
The Awami League cruised to victory in Sunday's election after the BNP and 20 other opposition parties refused to take part.
With all but a handful of seats still to be declared, the Awami League had won around 80% of the 300 parliamentary seats with allies mopping up the rest.
But few were in a mood for celebrating after the carnage of election day when hundreds of polling stations were torched and at least 21 people killed, mostly by police who were the target of firebomb attacks.
The Daily Star called it the bloodiest election in Bangladeshi history and said the Awami League had won "a hollow victory which gives it neither a mandate nor an ethical standing to govern effectively".
"Yes, we can't say it was a universally acceptable election," Communications Minister Obaidul Kader said.
"The festive atmosphere was absent and the turnout was ordinary... but you can't say it is unacceptable.
"Our next task is to form the government. We are ready to hold talks with the opposition to find a consensus, but first they have to eschew violence."
The BNP's leader Khaleda Zia has been under de facto house arrest for over a week after mobilising supporters in a bid to derail the election. – AFP