Looking back 2015
AL secures strong footing
Abu Jakir
After a controversial national election in 2014, the Awami League (AL)-led government has passed its second year, brushing off all criticism, hurdles and the longest-ever street campaign by archrivals Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Since the beginning of this year, the BNP staged the longest ever political movement in the countrys history to unseat the AL-led government, but the latter suppressed the movement using coercive measures. The AL has decided to observe January 5the voting day of the 10th general elections which it wonas Victory of Democracy Day. It also planned to organise colourful processions in all districts and thanas on the day, but eventually dropped the idea in the face of strong opposition by the BNP-Jamaat combine. At one point of the three-month-long movement propelled by the BNP and its allies, it seemed that perhaps the AL-led government would not be able to complete its tenure. But eventually it handled the situation very competently.
The government relentlessly tried to carry out different development activities and, at the same time, foiled the BNP-Jamaat-sponsored violent movement that left nearly 150 people dead and over thousands injured. Overcoming all difficulties one after another, the AL government is now in a stable position. Now the party higher-ups have started believing that the AL-led government will stay in power for a long time. The ruling party also succeeded in branding the BNP-Jamaat movement as a terrorism both locally and globally. The government even ordered arrests of BNP leaders and activists across the country, which is still continuing.
The non-stop blockade of the BNP-Jamaat combine ended when the Election Commission on March 18 announced the poll schedule for three city corporationsDhaka North, Dhaka South and Chittagong. The commission fixed April 28 for the city corporation elections.
The elections were also a blessing for the AL as the party-backed mayoral candidates won all the three corporations, despite charges of massive vote rigging. According to AL leaders, 2015 was a year of success because the government, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, had made a number of achievements.
AL joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said, The party is stronger than ever because weve already completed most of the district council sessions. Last year, the Indian parliament passed the historic Land Boundary Agreement, which had been signed by Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman and Indira Gandhi way back in 1974, between Bangladesh and India.
Both countries agreed that the Bangladeshi enclaves in India and the Indian enclaves in Bangladesh would be exchanged in accordance with the 1974 Agreement and the 2011 Protocol shall stand transferred to the other with effect from 12.01am of August 1, 2015. Accordingly, India transferred 111 enclaves measuring 17,160 acres to Bangladesh and received 51 enclaves covering 7,110 acres. More than 51,000 people live in these enclaves. Last year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) declared Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as one of the Champions of the Earth in the Policy Leadership category for her proven leadership in addressing the impacts of climate change. Hasina was given a colourful reception for the prestigious award in Dhaka. Another big success of the Hasina government is to start the main construction of the much-talked-about Padma multipurpose bridge with its own resources.Finally, at the December 30 municipality elections, the AL clinched a landslide victory, bagging more than three-fourth of the 234 mayoral posts. Though mayoral candidates fought the civic polls under party symbols for the first time, councillor candidates contested without party symbols. The AL assumed office for the second consecutive time unopposed at the general polls on January 5, 2014. The BNP, however, had boycotted the elections.
