Ashraf's talk of dialogue
Actions contradict words
The comment of the Awami League general secretary that his party is willing to sit anytime, anywhere and discuss any issue with the BNP will come as a relief to all of us amidst the increasing turmoil and uncertainty that the country appears to be heading towards. And it is appropriate that the leading partner of the grand coalition has come out with the suggestion.
A redeeming feature in the midst of the current turmoil is the recognition among members of both the alliances of the essentiality of dialogue. The BNP reaction has been instant and, not surprisingly guarded and conditional. One can hardly blame the BNP if it takes the statement as nothing more than a subterfuge. We feel that if the AL really wants to engage the main opposition party in fruitful talks it must allow it the spatial flexibility that it needs to operate as a political party, something that we also emphasised in these columns yesterday. It is incongruous to talk of dialogue with the BNP keeping its senior leaders on the run by instituting cases on farcical charges. The suggestion appears completely out of place when they are not even allowed to hold peaceful rallies and when their party men are subjected to indiscriminate police firing.
Perhaps at no other time in the last several years has the imperative for the two parties to engage in dialogue been more felt than now. The situation has taken a turn for the worst recently which should not be allowed to run adrift. It is unfortunate that with the BNP abstaining from the parliament the issues are not even coming up in the house for discussion. Absence of the BNP from the parliament at this time is a very irresponsible behaviour.
We feel that while the AL should come up with a formal offer of dialogue, the BNP should take the offer without preconditions. Reportedly, reading between the lines of the statement of the AL Secretary General, the ruling alliance is willing to also discuss the modalities of the next general election. The situation demands the two to talk to each other rather than at each other, something in which they have been so virulently engaged so long.
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