After its traumatic struggle to separate from the rest of Pakistan, Bangladesh aspired to become a secular and pluralistic democracy. However, despite its relatively impressive economic performance and human development achievements, this densely populated country has remained plagued by recurrent political violence.

After experiencing years of bitter rivalry between its two main political parties, the political future of this second largest Muslim country in South Asia has become increasingly uncertain. Bangladesh has certainly seen its share of turmoil over these past five decades. The Awami League had been in power for just a few years when a bloody coup led to the assassination of Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, along with many of his family members, in 1975. This assassination set the stage for the Awami League's deep-seated rivalry with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), formed by Zia-ur-Rahman.

Zia-ur-Rahman was also assassinated in another coup in 1981, by Awami League sympathisers for his alleged role in........

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