Troubled Bangladesh vote won't end crippling blockades
The polls have closed in Bangladesh鈥檚聽Sunday聽national elections, with聽the ruling Awami League expected to cruise to a pre-ordained victory聽amid a mass opposition boycott.聽But the country鈥檚 bitter political gridlock is expected to continue,聽and so will the hartals and blockades, which have a debilitating聽practical effect on everyday work life in Bangladesh.
Hartals, our correspondent on the ground in Dhaka explains, are聽basically general strikes during which party activists ensure that聽鈥渢here is no transport on the street anywhere鈥� in terms of cars and聽buses 鈥撀燼nd they have a long history in Bangladesh鈥檚 turbulent聽political culture. Blockades, in which activists effectively block the聽roads in and out of major cities, have taken a toll on the country鈥檚聽vital garment trade.
The opposition Bangladesh National Party鈥檚 near-constant call for聽hartals and blockades during the last few months brought many forms of聽business grinding to a halt, with many work weeks reduced to just a聽handful of days.... For the rest of the story, continue reading at our new business publication聽
