Deadlock pushes country to the brink

WHEN the need for a political reconciliation has become more urgent than ever before, the chiefs of the ruling and opposition parties have chosen to move further apart by toughening their respective stances. This has dashed the public's hope for easing the ongoing political deadlock clouding the prospect of holding the next general election in an inclusive, free, fair and participatory manner. Worse yet,  the situation will  only contribute to prolonging the state of unforeseen  ordeals life has recently  been going through, thanks to the opposition-enforced hartals, blockades and attendant  violence, trail of devastations and deaths.
This is extremely disappointing for the nation and its people. Will the prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of the ruling AL and opposition leader and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia think for a moment to take stock of what they have so far gained through their ego-driven political decisions? Are they aware that through their stubbornness and antagonistic postures, they have traced a path of politics that is self-destructive and palpably anti-people?  Small wonder they have not achieved anything other than increasing public sufferings and pushing the country to the brink of a major social, political and economic catastrophe.
We want to believe that they can still make a difference and save the nation from the impending disaster. The imperative is to defuse tension, normalise life and move towards peaceful resolution of the political stalemate. To this end they should create a congenial atmosphere by releasing the detained opposition leaders and start a dialogue in earnest. Time is running out and they will have to move fast.