Democracy, to be continued…

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Two decisions taken last week have ensured that Bangladesh's tryst with democracy continues. One was taken on February 25, within hours of the bloody mutiny by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) erupting on the streets of Dhaka and leaving more than 70 senior army officers dead. The country's new civilian government decided to intervene and politically negotiate with the mutineering BDR soldiers who had taken control of the headquarters and held senior officers hostage. Barely two months after she was elected with a overwhelming mandate, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped in and engaged the mutineers in a successful carrot-and-stick strategy for the next 24 hours. In a country with a history of coups, the army - which had already rolled out tanks on the streets of Dhaka - was kept at bay. But it's doubtful whether Hasina's efforts would have yielded much if one man had not played along and....