2006年VOA标准英语-Bangladesh Opposition Ends 13-Month Boycot

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
13 February 2006
 

Riot police, top, escort Bangladesh Awami League activists¹ marching during a general strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh (File photo - Jan. 22, 2006)   
  
In Bangladesh, the opposition² Awami League has returned to parliament after a year-long boycott³. Political analysts⁴ fear any reconciliation⁵ between the country's two main political parties may not last long.

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Bangladesh's main opposition party, the Awami League walked out of parliament thirteen months ago, complaining it was not being given enough opportunity to participate in parliamentary debates.

On Sunday, Awami League lawmakers returned to the chamber⁶ amid cheers and thumping⁷ of desks by ruling party members.

Sheikh Hasina, head of the Awami League, says she is back to push through electoral reform proposals made by her party and its allies. She says these must be implemented⁸ before the next general elections, due to be held early next year.

Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil says there have been widespread calls for reforms to ensure free and fair elections.

"The demand of the people of this country and the demand of the diplomatic core throughout the world [is] that the reforms proposal should be placed in the parliament," said Jalil. "And the government also wanted that it should be placed before parliament. So demand from all corners, all walks of life we have fulfilled."

The electoral reform proposals involve the way elections are administered in Bangladesh. The constitution requires that before a general election takes place, the elected government must step aside and a caretaker government is appointed.

At the moment, it is appointed by the government in power. The Awami League and its allies say this leaves open the door to electoral manipulation. They say the head of the caretaker government and the chief election commissioner⁹ must be selected with the consent of all political parties.

The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party has promised to discuss the proposals, and expressed hopes that opposition lawmakers will actively¹⁰ participate in the debate.

However, some political analysts say the spirit of reconciliation between the two parties may not last long.

Although the Awami League ostensibly ended its boycott to push the reform program, analysts say it was actually to ensure that opposition lawmakers did not lose their parliamentary seats due to absence. Under present rules, the seats would have been declared vacant if the lawmakers did not attend parliament this month.

Acrimony and intense antagonism¹¹ mark relations between Bangladesh's two main political parties, and this has triggered many opposition-sponsored strikes and parliamentary boycotts¹² in the past decade. In recent months, the Awami League and its allies have held several strikes and rallies to step up their campaign for early elections.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 thumping   

adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持

参考例句：

• Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

9 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

10 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

11 antagonism   

n.对抗，敌对，对立

参考例句：

• People did not feel a strong antagonism for established policy.人们没有对既定方针产生强烈反应。
• There is still much antagonism between trades unions and the oil companies.工会和石油公司之间仍然存在着相当大的敌意。

12 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？