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Article: Bangladesh's reluctant army. (no military takeover)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- February 24, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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IT MAY seem strange that the army has declined to take over the government of Bangladesh. The reasons that generals usually parade to excuse their intervention in politics are available in abundance. The government cannot maintain civil order and has lost the confidence of the people. At the general election on February 15th, the government was returned on such a low ballot and, in addition, indulged in such widespread vote-rigging, that its legitimacy is in doubt. As a result, many observers expected the army to take office, as it has for most of the country's melancholy history since it became independent in 1971.
One reason for its forbearance seems to be that the ...