Issue and Opponent: The opposition Awami League and fellow opposition party supporters were unhappy with the BNP-led coalition government because of unfair policies and corruption. The supporters of the Awami League and other opposition parties were arrested days before the protest. Nearly 1,000 leaders and activists were detained in efforts to frustrate the campaign.
Dilemma Action: The Awami League organized a “no-confidence” protest in the form of a human chain from Teknaf to Tentulia, with more than five million people participating and spanning over a thousand kilometers, which was the longest human chain in history at the time. The aim was to promote the realization of the opposition’s nine-point charter of demands and force the coalition government to step down and for a neutral caretaker government to take over. The key demand was for the ousting of the current government and for free and fair elections to be held, as well as a ban on fundamentalist politics, an establishment of an anti-corruption commission, and to keep prices fair. The government responded with violence, which also reflected badly on them since the protest was peaceful.
Outcome: The government utilized helicopters, paramilitary troops, and cameras to contain and control the protest. While only some demands were met, like the establishment of an anti-corruption commission the human chain protest was considered successful. However, political polarization and turmoil would continue and come to a head in the 2006/2007 political crisis.