Editorial
Good sentiments are not enough
Take concrete steps for dialogue
EARLY last month, Khandaker Musharraf Hossain and Tofael Ahmed, two senior-most leaders of ruling BNP and opposition AL, attending a BATEXPO seminar, struck a common note saying that their parties need to come out of their 'bitter' relationship for the good of the nation. We welcomed the gesture, urging them to initiate a process of dialogue with the blessings of their top most leaders, so that their words do not dissolve into thin air as some empty rhetoric. Only day before yesterday came the news of Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Abdul Jalil, secretaries general respectively of BNP and AL shaking hands at a BGMEA Iftar party and pledging to jointly work for the betterment of garments industry in the post-MFA scenario. They even said that they could solve the 'minor' problems between BNP and AL through discussion--hopefully to create an environment whereby major issues of conflict could be addressed. Good intent, but hardly enough; for, they are in a race against time, which is fast running out for taking the bull of their mutual confrontation by the horn, or else real trouble lies in store for Bangladesh democracy. National elections are drawing nearer and many vital issues relating to the conduct of polls are crying for resolution. There will have to be a common understanding on questions like dealing with terrorism, use of black money and muscle power, which are important not only for successfully holding the national elections but also for administering the country in the post-election era irrespective of which party comes to occupy the seat of power. It is high time, therefore, that the occasional bursts of agreeable sentiments being mutually voiced by senior leaders of both parties should be translated into concrete steps forward with multi-layered discussions leading to a national dialogue, one that will be productive of a national consensus on ways to hold free and fair elections.
|
|
