Bangladesh shuts down main opposition newspaper
GuardianNov 26, 2022
The Facts
On Thursday, members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) took part in a procession in Dhaka to protest the recent death of Krishak Dal [the farmer's wing of the BNP] activist Sajeeb Hossain earlier this week.
Hossain reportedly died in clashes with members of the ruling Awami League (AL) in the southern coastal district of Laxmipur on Tuesday, where police allegedly opened fire against hundreds of BNP supporters, leaving at least 200 injured.
The Spin
Narrative A
For years, Hasina's government offered an apparent economic development in exchange for crushing dissent, silencing free speech, and closing the democratic space. Because Bangladesh's economy is now in a critical condition, it's no surprise that thousands joined opposition protests to demand her resignation — especially because elections under a neutral caretaker used to be the norm in the country until 2011.
Narrative B
The opposition is willing to drag Bangladesh into chaos not only by insisting on the transfer of power to an unelected government based on a provision ruled unconstitutional more than a decade ago but also by causing unrest and escalating violence. Given that the BNP has traditionally resorted to confrontations, the current protests cast doubts on the party's true commitment to democratic principles.
