By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh's two top women politicians, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, have made common cause for the first time in 17 years following the former's arrest by the military-backed caretaker government.
The Awmai League leader's imprisonment has also sparked the first public protest against the government since a national emergency was clamped Jan 12.
But the most significant development has been the manner Zia has rallied to the defence of her rival Hasina following the latter's July 16 arrest.
Zia, who stepped down in October to pave way for general elections, has condemned the "indecent" treatment meted out to Hasina during her arrest and in the court.
She also described Hasina as "a national leader" and daughter of the country's founding father.
The last time both women leaders set aside their differences was in 1990 when they joined forces to oust the then ruler, General H.M. Ershad.
Meanwhile, teachers of Dhaka University are sporting black badges to protest the "ill treatment" meted out to the two former prime ministers in the first such protest against the caretaker government's actions.
The teachers held a brief protest on the campus Saturday, dodging strong vigilance of the law enforcers including intelligence agencies, The Daily Star reported Sunday.
The university is the nerve-centre of politics and nursery for many a political movement.
The students wing of Awami League, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), observed a strike Sunday against the arrest of Hasina.
Sporadic protests in the country have broken a six-month "no-political-activity" spell in Bangladesh, which is under an indefinite national emergency with a ban on political activity.
Newspapers this week front-paged a picture of a car set on fire by "unidentified persons" to protest against the arrest of Hasina.
This was perhaps the first such picture since emergency was imposed and a new interim government under chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed took office. Zia has been summoned to a court next month.
The interim government has jailed 220,000 people, including 150 high profile politicos and businessmen, for various crimes including charges of corruption and misuse of office.