The battle of Bangladesh traced in the run-up to elections in a climate of violence and repression

Five days before the poll in Bangladesh, the lines Forcibly are traced between the ruling Awami League and the main alliance of the opposition following the upsurge of acts of violence and the refusal to allow a campaign rally.

On Tuesday, the opposition emerged from a meeting with the Bangladesh Election Commission and later said the panel was "biased". The opposition alliance is also thwarted by the refusal to give them permission to hold a rally in Dhaka on December 27. At the same time, the Awami League also approached the voting committee to complain that their employees were targeted by the BNP. Read in Bengali

This is the eleventh general election in the history of the country and the fight is fierce between the Awami League, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the main opposition party , the Jatiyo Oikyo Front (National United Front) led by the Bangladeshi Nationalist Party, whose leader Khaleda Zia is in prison for corruption. "Monday was the most violent day. Police and ruling party officials have attacked rallies and opposition campaigns, "said BNP top executive Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

These accusations have been firmly denied by the Awami League. "We filed our own lawsuit against the Jatiya Oikya Front and the BNP-Jamaat men while they were attacking and harbading our supporters and activists across the country," said Awami League leader Akhtaruzzaman.

With the army deployed to calm tension, the treatment of minorities is one of the key elements of the poll. It is considered a "sensitive issue" that is attracting more and more attention from the diplomatic community of Dhaka.
Minorities make up about 10% of the population of the 16 inhabitants of Bangladesh, Bangladesh. – Hindus account for about 8 to 9% of the total, Christians about 0.5% and the rest are Buddhists.

"We are aware of the threats of minorities to the past. While the government is taking steps to remedy the situation, we are also mobilizing the community so that it does not vote for community forces. Nirmal Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, told The Indian Express.

Rozario recalled that after the 1991 elections, "the minorities have been victims of torture and repression for about a month." And the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), whose chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia is currently in prison for corruption, reportedly "involved."

However, the biggest attack of this type occurred after the 2001 elections, when the BNP-Jamaat coalition came to power and minorities, mainly Hindu, were targeted for their affiliation to the Awami League.In 2009, following a court ruling, the government of Sheikh Hasina, led by the Awami League, set up a judicial commission to investigate. about 5,000 atrocities, including murders and rapes, and recommended measures against the BNP, including 25 ministers and legislators .. Jamaat coalition.

However, the report of the commission was not made Pub And no action has been taken against those responsible, even after 10 years of rule of the Awami League, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "This time, we are vigilant … In Bangladesh, the cycle of violence often took place after the elections, as in 2001," said to The Indian Express Rana Dasgupta, one of the biggest leaders of the minority Hindu from Bangladesh.

Fear has prompted Hindu Bangladesh Buddha Christian Oikya Parishad (Dutch Council of Bangladesh, Buddhist and Christian) to hold discussions with major political parties and the Electoral Commission to ensure their safety.

"Everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, caste and religion, bad, religion, minority community or minority ethnic group, will be able to vote and be able to stay safely at home. him after, "said the voting committee.
The main political parties also try to seduce and rebadure this bank of votes by presenting candidates from minority communities: the Awami League presented 18 candidates, seven to the BNP and the Jatiya party of SM Ershad Three. In addition, the Awami League indicated in its manifesto that it would form a national commission for minorities. "All discriminatory laws and systems against minorities and ethnic minorities will be abolished and there will be no discrimination," he said.
The BNP also promised to create a separate ministry for religious minority affairs. "The right to life, property and social dignity of minorities and ethnic nationalities living in the hills and plains would be fully protected," says his manifesto.

Tuesday, Bangladesh's top leadership, including President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister. Hasina, exchanged greetings with members of the minority community at Christmas. Uttam Kumar Taha, an employee of Agrani Bank in Dhaka, says political parties argue that Bangladesh can not "become another brickmaker". "It's not in our interest or in India's interest," he said.

On the occasion of Christmas, a majestic white building, with broad arches and colonial architecture, was illuminated with blue garlands. center in front of the residence of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
On the brightly decorated door, St. Mary's Cathedral on the road from Kakrail to Romna was hung on an orange poster with a Bengali message: "Shubho Boro Din (Merry Christmas)".