Yearbook 2008
Bangladesh. After an interruption of 43 years, direct
train traffic between Dhaka and Indian Calcutta resumed in
April.
In June, it emerged that the documents on which
Bangladesh's Declaration of Independence was signed in 1971
had disappeared. According to
Countryaah reports, the loss was discovered when various
government documents were handed over to the National
Archives.
Rising food prices on the world market in May prompted
the government to ban all exports of rice in the next six
months to avoid food shortages and keep prices down.
However, most of 2008 was marked by preparations for the
promised election in December, when parliamentary rule would
be reintroduced after almost two years of
military-supervised leadership of the country. The two
former prime ministers Hasina Wajed and Khaleda Zia, whose
rivalry led to the unrest that led the military to take
over, were detained and it was unclear whether they or their
parties would be allowed to stand. Both were threatened with
trial for serious corruption. In June, however, Wajed was
released to the bail to be able to seek medical care in the
United States, and in September Zia was also released from
custody.
In July, the Interim Government set up a Truth and
Responsibility Commission to investigate the widespread
corruption. The country's provisional leadership had
promised an intense fight against corruption, but despite
the arrest and prosecution of thousands of high-ranking
officials, politicians and businessmen, an examination by
the organization Transparency International showed that
corruption had increased rapidly in several sectors of
society since early 2007.
Missing reforms and continued food price increases caused
the first enthusiasm for the politically neutral leadership
to settle, and the demand for a return to normal conditions
grew. Following a revision of voting lengths - one of the
most controversial issues ahead of the 2007 election - local
elections were held in August. After more than 12.7 million
non-existent names had been deleted, the elections were
conducted in orderly conditions and showed that the Awami
League, led by Hasina Wajed, had received strong support.
Since Wajed returned in November, the exception laws were
repealed in mid-December so parliamentary elections could be
conducted in a democratic spirit. The charges against the
two female top politicians seemed forgotten, as both were
allowed to run for office. The December 29 election was
described as the calmest and most properly executed in
decades and resulted in an overwhelming victory for the
Awami League. Hasina Wajed's party received 230 of the 300
seats, Khaleda Zia's Nationalist Party GDP only 32. Khaleda
Zia half-heartedly protested against alleged electoral
fraud, but it was clear that Hasina Wajed would re-enter the
prime minister post in early 2009. The last she ruled the
country was 1996-2001.
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