Diplomats seek end to fiery unrest

DHAKA: Diplomats called for an end to the violent unrest in Bangladesh as tensions rose further yesterday when opposition leader Khaleda Zia again failed to appear at a corruption trial despite facing the threat of arrest.

Mission heads from nine countries, including the United States and several European countries, met Ms Zia at her office late on Tuesday where the Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader has been holed up since early January.

“Recalling previous statements on recent events in Bangladesh, and those by the United Nations, we called for an end to Bangladesh’s continuing violence,” Australian High Commissioner Greg Wilcock said, reading out a statement on behalf of the diplomats.

He said the envoys, who also met Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Sunday, wanted to see “confidence-building measures, including de-escalation of Bangladesh’s political conflict”.

The unrest started at the beginning of the year when two-time former leader Ms Zia called her supporters to try to enforce a nationwide transport blockade in an effort to topple current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and pave the way for new polls.

Violence unleashed by the protests has so far left at least 108 people dead, many of them victims of firebomb attacks on buses and trucks carried out by opposition hardliners in a bid to enforce the blockade.

The United Nations and the European Union, Dhaka’s top export destination, have called for a dialogue to resolve the crisis. But Sheikh Hasina has ruled out talks with Ms Zia, saying polls will not be held before 2019.

Ms Zia failed to appear, even though a court last week issued an arrest warrant against her for not attending earlier hearings. Authorities have so far made no attempt to execute the warrant.

Lawyers and aides of the BNP leader say Ms Zia cannot attend as she is being confined to her office by security forces who are posted outside, and also say she has no confidence in the court.