Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Search

 

Cablegate: Critical Undp Report On "Hartals" Generates

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS DHAKA 001117

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON BG
SUBJECT: CRITICAL UNDP REPORT ON "HARTALS" GENERATES
ATTENTION


1. SUMMARY: UNDP has released a report detailing the
socio-economic costs and popular antipathy to hartals, or
nationwide political protest strikes. END SUMMARY.

2. In "Beyond Hartals: Towards Democratic Dialogue in
Bangladesh," a distinguished panel of Bangladeshi academics
and journalists, backed by the local SIRIUS Marketing and
Social Research Ltd, interviewed thousands of Bangladeshis,
in all parts of Bangladesh, to determine the national impact
and perspective on hartals. The polling sample included
politicians, student leaders, average citizens, and street
toughs paid to enforce the strikes. The report also reviews
the historical pattern of hartals between 1947 and 2002.

3. Key findings include:

-- 95% of respondents believe that hartals have a negative
impact on the economy;
-- 70% believe there are political alternatives to hartals,
such as public rallies, parliamentary debate, and road
marches;
-- 50% believe that politicians gain financially from calling
hartals; but
-- 63%, believe that hartals are a legitimate democratic tool;
-- Between 1991 and 2002, there were 827 hartals called by
the Awami League or the Bangladesh Nationalist Party with
almost equal frequency.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

3. The report notes a growing determination by business and
civil society to pursue "business as usual" during hartals.
Today's hartals do not generate enough popular support to be
as long or as violent as were hartals in the 1980's and
before, and often now coincide with weekends to minimize
actual disruption.

4. The economic impact of hartals, it says, is often short
term for business but long term for students when class and
examination schedules are disrupted. However, the cost of
hartals during the 1990's was an estimated 3-4% of GDP, and
it was felt by both rural and urban communities. In the
formal transportation and street vending sectors, hartal
earnings are 50-60% less than normal. Major losses are
recorded by some factories over lost shipments and customer
dissatisfaction, leading to permanent loss of business and
foreign direct investment. The cost of essential items is
driven up, which primarily hurts the poor. Women are the
most adversely affected group, primarily due to the
insecurity of hartals that makes it difficult for them to
accomplish daily tasks or go to work.

5. The report enumerates a series of long- and short-term
constructive alternatives to hartals and solutions to the
underlying problems that promote them, including social
mobilization that does not involve work stoppages. To
address one problem often cited by political parties to
justify hartals, the opposition's inability to participate
effectively in Parliament and the existing electoral
framework, the report suggests reforms that, if enacted,
should make hartals redundant.

6. Comment: The report details what everyone in Bangladesh
already knows: hartals are economically damaging and
enormously unpopular.

THOMAS
THOMAS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
UN News: Aid Access Is Key Priority

Among the key issues facing diplomats is securing the release of a reported 199 Israeli hostages, seized during the Hamas raid. “History is watching,” says Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. “This war was started by taking those hostages. Of course, there's a history between Palestinian people and the Israeli people, and I'm not denying any of that. But that act alone lit a fire, which can only be put out with the release of those hostages.” More


Save The Children: Four Earthquakes In a Week Leave Thousands Homeless

Families in western Afghanistan are reeling after a fourth earthquake hit Herat Province, crumbling buildings and forcing people to flee once again, with thousands now living in tents exposed to fierce winds and dust storms. The latest 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit 30 km outside of Herat on Sunday, shattering communities still reeling from strong and shallow aftershocks. More

UN News: Nowhere To Go In Gaza

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said some 1.1M people would be expected to leave northern Gaza and that such a movement would be “impossible” without devastating humanitarian consequences and appeals for the order to be rescinded. The WHO joined the call for Israel to rescind the relocation order, which amounted to a “death sentence” for many. More


Access Now: Telecom Blackout In Gaza An Attack On Human Rights

By October 10, reports indicated that fixed-line internet, mobile data, SMS, telephone, and TV networks are all seriously compromised. With significant and increasing damage to the electrical grid, orders by the Israeli Ministry of Energy to stop supplying electricity and the last remaining power station now out of fuel, many are no longer able to charge devices that are essential to communicate and access information. More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.