ABSTRACT: This work analyses events in the political life of Bangladesh after military rule. It focuses on the rise of the leaders of two influential parties – the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party – and the reasons for their animosity towards one another. I argue that both these political forces usually abide by a “winner-takes-all” principle and they are firmly against cooperation for the sake of the country. The polarisation of the political field, combined with natural calamities and a crisis in the textile industry, is propelling Bangladesh into an uncertain future.
Keywords:Bangladesh, India, political parties, elections, textile industry, strikes