BNP-led alliance's sway in UZ polls

WE express satisfaction over peaceful, barring stray instances of violence, completion of the first phase of the upazila polls. The fact that   the polls have been  held in a fair and congenial atmosphere  with a high voter turn out  amid much enthusiasm and festivity only points to the seriousness with which the electorate took the electoral event. Women voters coming out in large numbers to exercise their franchise is a positive feature worth noting.
As for the results of the polls, those have not come as surprise. The opinion polls taken prior to the January 5 election to the 10th JS indicated more or less a similar pattern of popularity being enjoyed by the major political parties like AL and BNP. This is a proof, if there is need for any, at all, that the BNP's boycott of the parliamentary election was a strategic mistake. It exaggerated focus on rigging entirely disregarding the fact that the public expectation was for it to take part in the election.
If that was the mistake of the BNP, then the AL's fault was to take a headlong plunge to keep the opposition (BNP) out of the electoral race.  The AL should now learn to take the BNP-led alliance more seriously.  AL will commit another blunder if it tries to ostracise BNP. In fact, BNP's not being part of the JS has only rendered it (JS) devoid of substance.
We, therefore, urge the ruling party to take a genuine initiative to engage the BNP in a dialogue and proceed steadfastly towards mapping out the next election in a credible manner.