Bangladesh businesses hold white flag rallies for peace defying general strike

Defying the countrywide dawn-to-dusk general strike enforced by an Islamist party protesting the execution of its leader convicted of war crimes, thousands of Bangladesh businessmen staged white flag rallies calling for a " peaceful business environment."

The decision to stage white flag rallies in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country was made at a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

The country's apex trade body launching the massive white flag rally in capital Dhaka called on major political parties to reach a consensus for resolving the ongoing political deadlock ahead of the general elections slated for Jan. 5.

Businesses say white flag rallies across Bangladesh is aimed at protesting the ongoing political violence, shutdowns and blockades that caused wide spread damages to business, and at bringing peace in the country.

Addressing the rally, FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed said, "We want peace, we want political solution to this prevailing crisis. We want business-friendly peaceful environment in the country."

Carrying white flags, thousands of businessmen took part in the rally which continued for about an hour, beginning at about 11:30 a.m. local time.

Ahmed said businessmen will be forced to go for a tougher movement if their calls go unheeded.

"We want a strike-blockade-violence-free Bangladesh."

Some agitating businessmen even threatened to besiege the offices of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia if they do not take appropriate measures now instead of later to end the impasse.

They said the ongoing political turmoil due to a series of blockade of roads, ports and railways across the country since Nov. 26 enforced by former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance has taken toll on the country 's business activities which were almost paralyzed.

The export sector felt the pinch of political violence as transportation remains at a standstill due to the blockade and strike like programs, they added.

Political violence also created untold suffering for the less affluent people of society as prices of essentials shored to a large extent as supply chains almost collapsed.

Although both the major parties sought dialogue to end the impasse over the formation of a polls-time government, but no headway has been made.

The United Nations engaged itself in Bangladesh's election crisis and brokered talks which however have visibly yielded no outcome to end the crisis as Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco wrapped up his six-day Bangladesh visit on Dec. 11 with merely the hope that the "two major parties will continue discussions."

While the government led by Hasina's Awami League (AL) proceeds with steps to hold the polls, the opposition BNP and its 17 allies including Jamaat-e-Islami party demand a non-party caretaker government to oversee the polls.

With the election less than a month away, HM Ershad, chairman of the Jatiya Party which was a key ally of Hasina's AL party-led ruling grand alliance until last month, said his party would also boycott the polls.

Former military strongman Ershad, who ruled Bangladesh for nearly nine years from 1982 to 1990, cited the lack of proper atmosphere as the reason for not participating in the polls.

Violence flares anew across Bangladesh since Thursday night after the execution of Abdul Quader Molla, a high-ranking Jamaat leader convicted of war crimes in 1971, which is the first execution of a war criminal in the country.

Jamaat men allegedly unleashed a reign of terror in protest against the execution since Tuesday night in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, leaving dozens of people dead.

The death of four people including three Jamaat men and one ruling AL party man, has been reported from Lalmonirhat, 343 northwest of capital Dhaka, on Sunday morning in clashes during the early hours of the general strike which also triggered widespread violence in many Bangladesh districts.

In protest against Molla's execution, his party Jamaat enforced a countrywide dawn-to-dusk general strike Sunday.