Bangladesh: Completing The Cycle

Throughout the 16-year history of Bangladesh, unrest and martial law have seemed to be an almost permanent part of political life. Since late October, President Hussain Mohammad Ershad has arrested some 2,000 opposition figures, including the women leaders of the two main opposition parties, for calling for his overthrow. Last week, unable to negotiate an end to the protests, Ershad completed the cycle by declaring a new state of emergency in his troubled country of 105 million people.