The political situation ensuing after the Chittagong City Corporation election has obviously turned out to be very compelling for the 4-party alliance now in power. Besides, some intriguing information in the air since the election results were announced on May 10, 2005 provide yet additional grounds for BNP to make an objective re-thinking and re-appraisal of its continued alliance with Jamaat. Even the massive campaign conducted by ministers, members and parliament and party leaders has now come under critical surveillance. There is news of duplicity and double standard on the part of some of the campaigners.

Nevertheless, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury's victory in the election has passed out a positive message of consolidation among the people of Chittagong. Evidently, the tremor is very must palpable to the BNP Chairperson who asked her party MPs to go further close to the people in their respective constituency making frequent visits there. This is though generalised instruction, yet it is a pointer to the debacle in Chittagong having maximum number of ministers and equally maximum number of factions within the party there.

Chittagong City Corporation Mayoral election and the consequential jolt sustained by the 4-party alliance kept apart, the government has been deeply engrossed with a number of controversial issues which have evoked large-scale condemnation both nationally and internationally. Among them the so-called 'cross-fire' episodes enacted by the Rapid Action Batallion (RAB) has been on the top of the agenda.

It could be a strange yet most desirable coincidence that the issue of such 'extra judicial' killing came up for a review in a meeting at the cabinet sub-committee on law and order. The meeting on May 11, 2005 had decided to institute judicial inquiries into all such killings, so as to determine the circumstantial incongruities or compelling situation that prompted such action on the part of the custodians of law and order. The inquiry committee would also identify the person(s) who could have been responsible for any 'extra judicial' killing without any justification. The inquiries or investigations thus envisaged would be "executive" not "judicial" any way as demanded recently by the leader of the opposition.

In this content, it may be recalled that the EEU parliament had taken a number of resolutions last month on the crude happenings is Bangladesh including the aforestated 'extra judicial' killings which, according to their judgement tantamaunted to gross violation of human rights. Even though the proposed 'administrative' or 'executive' investigations into all killings at the hands of RAB and police and that too by the bureaucrats/police themselves, may not bring up the unprejudiced picture; the decision when implemented shall set in a blissful augury against the current blatant infringement of human rights.

Coming by the heels was the resentment and anxieties expressed by Ms. Christina Rocca, US Assistant Secretary of State, during her 'visit to Bangladesh on May 11, 2005. Prior to her departure from Dhaka the US dignitary met the press which afforded an opportunity to formally let us have a piece of her mind. She was very critical about the 'extra judicial' killings which, she informed, were not acceptable to 'the United States'. They were not also acceptable to the international community at large, she emphatically claimed. While expressing her genuine concern for the life and security of Sheikh Hasina, Ms. Rocca opined that the actual culprits behind Shah AMS Kibria's murder and the 21 August 2004 grenade assaults should be brought to books. This would necessitate transparent and full length investigations into those diabolical incidences immediately, she firmly insisted.

Among other important issues those she discussed with the government leaders besides those related to the mutual interests of our two countries, included terrorism, extremist activities, protection of minority interests and rights including those of the Ahmadiyas. She thought the Bangladesh government would take meticulous care that the Ahmadiyas lived in peace and that religious extremists and fanatics were kept under constant control and surveillance.

On the economic front the US Assistant Secretary of State could not give the business community here any encouraging message. She was unable to give them any assurance on their request for duty free entry of exportable goods to USA. On the contrary, she advised for development and improvement of Chittagong port. She did, however, promise to convey the views of Bangladesh business committee to US administration. She thought that the Bangladesh caucus in US Congress could do the lobbying to get tangible results.

Kazi Alauddin Ahmed is an industrial management consultant.