Editorial
Blockade, yet again?
Nation has reached the brink
Khaleda Zia called upon the people to continue with the 'movement' peacefully. Her party having announced a second blockade on the back of the violence-ridden last one. Her call for peaceful movement sounds somewhat ironic. It does not carry conviction although one would hope that the second one would pass-off peacefully. Moreover, in all this crisis, the opposition leadership has not at all felt it necessary to express any sorrow or regret over the deaths of innocent citizens since it launched its present round of agitation.
We believe that the opposition has not demonstrated the vision it ought to have in the interest of democracy. In its preoccupation with the demand for a caretaker government, it has cruelly ignored the sufferings of common citizens. That the opposition has openly adopted a desperate attitude to politics comes through its announcement of yet one more round of blockades in the country. We are at a loss to understand why, after so many hours of hartals and blockade, the opposition thought little of imposing another spell of destructive agitation on the country.
As for the government, its rather laid-back attitude to the agitation is disturbing, to say the least. While one expects it to be tough on troublemakers, one also thinks that it should go out on a limb to defuse the crisis. All efforts must be made to engage the opposition in negotiations if proper, credible elections are the goal. It is a job that cannot be done by pushing opposition politicians into prison.
The nation has reached the brink. The political classes, particularly the opposition, must now ask themselves if they must actually push it down the precipice.
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