Call off blockade for examinees' sake

In exhorting the BNP-led alliance to call off their irrational and pointless indefinite blockade the education minister has voiced the concerns of all the peace loving people, particularly the parents and guardians of the nearly a million and a half candidates who are due to sit for the SSC and equivalent exams from the second of February. Regrettably, taking the exams has become uncertain as parents are frightened about their children venturing out during the period of blockades and strikes.

It is difficult to believe that the 20-Party alliance leadership is unable to comprehend the unmitigated damage they will be doing to the future of the examinees if they miss their exams for a year. As it is, a large number of O - and A-level candidates, particularly from Dhaka and Khulna divisions were unable to take the exams for the current session as those were cancelled in these two divisions. And the examinees will not be able to sit for the examinations in this session due to the cancellation. A year is a long time in a student's life. Who will compensate the loss?

Enough damage has been done to the country already in the month-long blockade and strike. So far death count in the violence has reached nearly forty, not to speak of the huge damage done to the country's economy. Can't politics take a back seat when it comes to the interest of our students who are going to take the first important public exam in their life?  

We repeat, call off the blockade and the 72-hour hartal announed yesterday.