Hasina government image dips over prices, graft

By Indo Asian News Service | Sunday, August 29, 2010 | 2:06:50 PM IST (+05:30 GMT) 0 Comment

Dhaka, Aug 29 (IANS) The popularity of the Bangladesh government led by Sheikh Hasina has taken a beating over price rise, power shortage and perceptions of graft, a survey conducted on completion of her 18 months in office said.

Dhaka, Aug 29 (IANS) The popularity of the Bangladesh government led by Sheikh Hasina has taken a beating over price rise, power shortage and perceptions of graft, a survey conducted on completion of her 18 months in office said.

The prime minister's popularity has dipped, although nearly a half (49 percent) of the 3,000 people surveyed preferred her than to her rival, former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

The government 'looks to lose much of its shine with fewer people seeing the country moving in the right direction. Also, fewer people are satisfied with the government', The Daily Star newspaper that collaborated with Nielsen in an opinion poll said Sunday.

This is the third survey and a comparison of the three shows that 'less people now think the government had well managed the issue of price inflation than they thought 18 months ago. But more think the issue was poorly managed'.

Bangladesh is experiencing one of its worst power shortages. The number of people who think that power and gas supply are key issues has risen four times from six percent early last year.

On returning to power after nine years, Hasina has pursued many political issues through the judiciary.

The survey reveals that more people now consider the judiciary as 'politically biased' than they did when the government came to power. Concurrently 'fewer people think judiciary as independent'.

The government has pushed for the trial of its opponents in graft cases and is conducting trial of 'war criminals' - those who attacked unarmed civilians during the 1971 freedom movement.

It has also pursued a drive against terrorism and religious extremism.

The government also fared poorly on two more vital issues - corruption and the role of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC), a state agency.

The number of people who think corruption has increased has increased quite dramatically. Also, the number of people who took a negative view of the ACC has doubled in the last 18 months, the survey showed.

Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party 'seems to have recovered slightly its image in the last one and a half years. A less number of people take a negative view of the opposition and a larger portion take a positive view', the survey said.

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