Politics

Another reason I am parked up here, is the political situation here in Bangladesh.

As you will have read, there was a recent court ruling of the death penalty for war crimes during the 1971 separation war with Pakistan. Just like at Nuremberg, sometimes it takes many years to bring people to justice.
Anyway, the political situation here is volatile at the best of times, with both main political parties constantly bickering like 12 year old girls. No different from any country, then.
The difference here, is that when one party doesn't agree with what the other has said or done, they tell the people to strike. Now, this bit really baffles me.
If in New Zealand, the opposition party told the public to stay home from work because the government said or did something they didn't like, they would be laughed out of business. Why should we do what you say? You lost the election, remember? Piss off and grow a pair, noddy!

Here, though, people listen, because they are threatened with violence if they don't. Apparently there are gangs who roam around, and cause trouble for those who ignore the order. Cars burnt, homes burnt.
So everything shuts down. People don't drive to work. Sarah says that in some places, if the staff can walk to work, they go. Don't know the logic of that. Otherwise, a complete shutdown. Society grinds to a halt.
Today it's because one faction wants this convicted guy to be released.
The current strike started at midnight and will finish at 1800 tomorrow.
So on the street outside, all we can see is baby taxis and rickshaws. No cars, no taxis, no buses, no trucks.
Apparently on the first day of the strike, a couple of people died and about 50 injured. Others died in the prematch scuffles.

Did I mention that Bangladesh is not a tourist destination. Saw on tv today, that a New Zealander just did a walk through North Korea. Aren't us kiwis so adventurous? Living on the edge. Him camping on a mountain, burning cow poo, me sitting under a ceiling fan in Dhaka drinking coke and writing this drivel

Finally, while I write this, Sarah has an app running on the iPad, and is listening to the Si and Gary morning radio show in Christchurch. Look up SAD in the dictionary, and guess whose picture you will see?