Editorial
BNP's flexibility welcome
Govt. should reciprocate and start dialogue
We hold the view that parliamentary election conducted by a party-led government cannot be neutral and fair, given our longstanding political culture. Congenial condition does not exist for such an election as yet.
The grounds that lay behind the introduction of the caretaker system of government in 1996 for holding the national elections are still in existence. In fact, party-led governments can hardly generate the confidence in public mind that is necessary for the acceptability of an electoral process and its outcome.
The instances to support this view abound. The main opposition in parliament, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), for example, has been denied its legitimate space, especially outside the parliament, to articulate and express its dissent and carry out its political programmes during three years of the AL incumbency. What is more, the government created newer issues ratcheting tension vis-à-vis the opposition in proportion to the BNP's raising of demands.
Against this backdrop of highly contentious political situation, we must commend the opposition leader Khaleda Zia's flexible stance not to insist on the copybook version of caretaker government (CTG). She is open to any form of non-party interim government, which we regard as a positive development.
The issue here is of the substance of a system, not its label, or form. As long as the arrangement is neutral in composition and character, it should be acceptable to all the parties concerned. Let's not forget, generating public confidence is fundamentally important to ensure that all political parties as well as the entire electorate take part in the electoral process.
In the surveys conducted by some major newspapers, most respondents have favoured holding the next general election under an interim caretaker government.
The BNP has called for a dialogue. We hope that the government will reciprocate the spirit and immediately engage BNP in talks to hammer out a neutral non-party interim arrangement to conduct the next general election.
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