Bangladesh streets quieten

DHAKA – Soldiers and police patrolled the all-but empty streets of Bangladesh’s largest cities yesterday, as the military-backed government enforced a curfew to end days of unrest by students demanding an end to emergency rule.

The curfew, imposed on Wednesday evening on six cities, including Dhaka, the capital, cleared streets of protesters, forced residents to stay home and temporarily shut down mobile phone services. Authorities eased the curfew for three hours yesterday afternoon, giving people a chance to shop for food and other necessities, but the streets began emptying again as night fell.Mobile phone service was restored early yesterday.There were no signs of protests, but some Dhaka residents expressed unease.”We’re suffering a lot, we don’t expect such a situation in the country,” said Abdul Malek Chowdhury, a former army officer who had left his home to see what was happening on the streets.”We’ve passed through many troubled months in the recent past, we’re passing through the same old thing even now.”Demonstrations began on Monday when University of Dhaka students called for the removal of an army post from the campus.The soldiers withdrew a day later after violent protests left 150 injured, but the protests continued.As the protests spread, hundreds of people were injured and one person killed.The students were demanding the immediate restoration of democracy and an end to emergency rule, imposed in January when President Iajuddin Ahmed cancelled scheduled elections, outlawed demonstrations, curtailed press freedoms and limited other civil liberties.The interim government now running Bangladesh is backed by the military, which ruled the country throughout the 1980s.Officials say elections will be held in late 2008.Whether the general population supports the students’ demand is an open question.Bangladesh’s democracy, restored in 1991 after an earlier bout of military rule, has been best known for rampant corruption and a bitter rivalry between the leaders of the two main political parties.Much of Bangladesh welcomed the military-backed government when it came to power in January, but observers saw in the protests the beginning of a shift in public sentiment.”Regrettably, the incumbents decided to take the path of repression,” the English-language New Age newspaper said in an editorial yesterday.”The public discontent will simmer on and will find manifestation in different forms and style, sooner than later.”Nampa-APAuthorities eased the curfew for three hours yesterday afternoon, giving people a chance to shop for food and other necessities, but the streets began emptying again as night fell.Mobile phone service was restored early yesterday.There were no signs of protests, but some Dhaka residents expressed unease.”We’re suffering a lot, we don’t expect such a situation in the country,” said Abdul Malek Chowdhury, a former army officer who had left his home to see what was happening on the streets.”We’ve passed through many troubled months in the recent past, we’re passing through the same old thing even now.”Demonstrations began on Monday when University of Dhaka students called for the removal of an army post from the campus.The soldiers withdrew a day later after violent protests left 150 injured, but the protests continued.As the protests spread, hundreds of people were injured and one person killed.The students were demanding the immediate restoration of democracy and an end to emergency rule, imposed in January when President Iajuddin Ahmed cancelled scheduled elections, outlawed demonstrations, curtailed press freedoms and limited other civil liberties.The interim government now running Bangladesh is backed by the military, which ruled the country throughout the 1980s.Officials say elections will be held in late 2008.Whether the general population supports the students’ demand is an open question.Bangladesh’s democracy, restored in 1991 after an earlier bout of military rule, has been best known for rampant corruption and a bitter rivalry between the leaders of the two main political parties.Much of Bangladesh welcomed the military-backed government when it came to power in January, but observers saw in the protests the beginning of a shift in public sentiment.”Regrettably, the incumbents decided to take the path of repression,” the English-language New Age newspaper said in an editorial yesterday.”The public discontent will simmer on and will find manifestation in different forms and style, sooner than later.”Nampa-AP