Editorial
A pointless hartal, again
Politics of self-destruction continues
THE BNP-led 18-party alliance has again called a hartal today. The hartal is one more in the series of shutdowns the opposition has been forcing the country into as a way of compelling the ruling party to restore the caretaker system. To this is added the persistent demand for release of detained BNP leaders.
Calling a hartal today only two days after the opposition sought the government's cooperation in resolving the crisis begs the question: is the opposition serious about a negotiated settlement to the problem? The alliance could have waited for a government response to its call before inflicting one more hartal on the nation.
While one understands the opposition's concern about the way the next general election will be conducted, one is clearly not convinced that repeated hartals are the answer to the problem.
We have in these columns urged the ruling party to initiate talks with the opposition. We believe talking is important, unless our political classes have become too insensitive to consider public welfare a matter of importance. Education is taking a beating, the economy does not seem to be anyone's concern and gaining or retaining power appears to be the priority. That is no way of ensuring the survival of democracy.
This is no time to play cavalier politics. If the opposition means to have talks with the government, it should not have called a pointless hartal again. If the government means business, its leading figures must not speak in discordant voices about a dialogue but get down to the task of what must be done. And urgently too.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments