The gruesome death of yet another blogger in Bangladesh has sent shockwaves down its civil society. The attack, which is the second in a month, reinforces the speculation that the government, which adheres to secular principles, has a fight on its hands with the slow ascent of radical thinkers who will use brute force to engineer a collapse of the system.
Compounding this is the fractious relationship between Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina, head of the ruling Awami League party, and Khaleda Zia, who is the chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The BNP, in a bid to overthrow the government, has formed an alliance with radical parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami, who are taking advantage of the ongoing feud between the two political heavyweights by luring those who have become weary with the constant hostility. Deep fissures are being formed in Bangladesh as a result of this social and political instability. The international community needs to be proactive and bring the two chief protagonists to a dialogue, which is the starting point of creating a governable system. Bangladesh needs introspection and positive action. Or else, it will implode.
