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Fear of old ghosts' return to politics

Sohel Parvez
Only the posters dangling from ropes in a sprinkled manner over the roads are the visual signs that an election is in the offing. Other things -- a busy weekend, buzz of hangout groups near roadside tea stalls and honking vehicles -- were all usual scenes at the TSC crossing on Dhaka University campus Friday evening.
Down die road, a tea vendor was talking to one of his colleagues on whether to vote. He fears the same old days may come back with such political by-products as extortion, taking tea for free and violence on the campus.
He works out if casting vote will bring any good, and so he is still indecisive on the issue as arranging a trip to poll centre will cost him nearly a one-fourth of his total net income a day.
"It will cost me Tk 40 to take all my family members to the polling centre. This money will go from my daily net earning of around Tk 200," the 40-year-old tea vendor said.
The tea-seller, who bet his fortune on the Dhaka University (DU) campus at a younger age, appeared to be cynic about the situation after polls. “It won't bring any good to people like us. For me, the situation may turn bad," he said.
Selling tea and cookies adjacent to TSC, one of the evening gathering points for student activists, the tea vendor is now afraid of a possible comeback of those previous days, characterised by extor tlon and taking tea for free.
In the run-up to the election, leaders of two main political parties promised a corruption- and violence-free country. But the tea vendor is not convinced enough. "They (parties) always place attractive offers. In practice, they do a little," he said, seeking not to be named.
He said the last two years were boon for him as well as his colleagues as they did toll-free business during the time.
"I didn’t need to give even a single taka to anyone. But 1 don't know what trouble is awaiting me after the elec tion,“hcsaid.
Like him, many apprehend a possible return of those days of extortion, organised violence and political rivalry.
"The practice of extortion and violence will come back. There has almost been no change in student leaders' mindset," said a former DU student, Imran, sitting at Madhu's Canteen, the main centre for student politics at the university.
Imran's view was echoed by one of the enrolling students, Mehdi Banu.
"It has already started. Student leaders of two main political parties have demanded toll as the authorities moved to construct new buildings for students at Jagannath Hall and Mohsin Hall," she said.
But Baki Billah, who studied history at the university, believes such toll seeking practice might go as leaders of the political parties wouldnot allow these practices considering the negative reaction from the mass.
"We can expect a positive change in the political culture and environment. People will also get their essentials at reduced prices due to elected government's intervention in price syndication, and fall in commodity prices on the global market," he said.
Occasional rickshaw-puller Kabir, who is usually engaged in farming, also believes essentials' prices would come down. But he senses political rivalry meaning increase in violence.
"If we can give up the possibility of clash or violence, the general people are expected to lead a better life," said Kabir.
"The elected government will take steps to stop syndication in essential commodity market and reduce costs of agricultural inputs such as fertiliser and diesel to help us increase production," hoped Kabir who will go to his constituency in Gazipur district to vote for his preferred candidate.