Bangladesh’s opposition blocked roads, railways and waterways on Tuesday to protest the government’s plans to hold a general election on January 5, the latest turn in a violent political crisis that has paralysed the country.
The opposition demands that the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resign in favour of a neutral caretaker. She denies its claim that she might rig the elections if she stays in office.
The dispute is part of an escalating crisis in Bangladesh, a country of 160 million people where the state is seen as all-powerful. Analysts fear the chaos could exacerbate the impoverished country’s economic woes and lead to radicalisation in a strategic pocket of South Asia.
Norwegian telecom giant Telenor ASA has invested more than US$2.5 billion (HK$19.4 billion) in Bangladesh since its subsidiary, the country’s largest mobile phone company Grameenphone, started operations in 1997.
It is planning millions more dollars of investment after getting licensed to provide third-generation telecommunication services.
But Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and group chief executive of Telenor ASA, said it was worried about injecting more money. “We are very concerned about the political situation,” he said.