Bangladesh lifts state of emergency

CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH, AND BEIJING —  Bangladesh lifted a state of emergency Wednesday after nearly two years in a bid to reinstate a semblance of normality before Dec. 29 elections.

Two major political parties -- the Awami League, led by Sheik Hasina Wajed, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, headed by Khaleda Zia -- had threatened to boycott the vote if the emergency measures were not lifted.

“I feel so delighted that we got back our rights to protest against irregularities and price hikes,” said Idris Meah, a businessman in the Chittagong market. “During the state of emergency, we had to bear whatever came along and couldn’t raise our voices.”

The army-backed interim government led by President Iajuddin Ahmed had gradually eased restrictions on political gatherings and summoned most troops back to their barracks. But in what it said was a bid to prevent violence, it refused to fully lift the emergency measures until closer to the elections.

The government also said it would deploy troops across the country starting today to ensure security before the vote.

“There are fears, if the situation gets bad, that martial law could be brought back,” said Asif Nazrul, a law professor at the University of Dhaka. “Usually the army is deployed three or four days before a national election.”

A general who declined to be identified said the troops did not represent a return to strong-arm rule. “There should not be any confusion about lifting of emergency and fresh deployment of troops ahead of the upcoming polls,” he said.

During the emergency period, which began in January 2007, elections were suspended, curfews were imposed sporadically, the police and military were given far-ranging powers, and basic rights were suspended. About 200 political figures were detained, many for alleged corruption, including for a time both Wajed and Zia.

Some welcomed martial rule as a break from corruption, bare-knuckle politics and mismanagement that had kept the country impoverished.

“During emergency, we had a bit of peace as there was no political turmoil, strikes or attacks by illegal toll collectors,” said Nasrin Begum, a homemaker in Chittagong.

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mark.magnier@latimes.com