Editorial
Dialogue needed to restore calm
Ruling party has the responsibility to initiate the process
It is quite amazing how indifferent our two major parties are to public suffering caused by continuous unrest, police repression, hartal, occasional burst of homemade bombs, burning of buses and private cars and traffic disruption due to road blockage caused various meetings and demonstrations. In other words our already congested cities, especially Dhaka, are smarting under totally irresponsible behaviour of our political parties.
Instead of trying to solve the problems both Awami League and the BNP are further aggravating the situation by making mutually threatening speeches, warning the opponents of dire consequences and calling for further strife and confrontation.
When a society is in turmoil, as ours is now, the most important task at hand must necessarily be to restore calm. In this regard there cannot be any second thought on the matter but to call for a cessation of the conflict and have dialogue between all sides.
Recently the AL secretary general said they are ready for dialogue at any time. However no initiative has been taken from his party's side to initiate the process. We are forced to conclude that Syed Ashraf's call for talks had neither any seriousness nor any sincerity behind it. It was, to put it bluntly, a farce.
There is now a rising demand for dialogue from the concerned public. To the extent we are able to gauge public sentiment the feeling is now widespread that things cannot continue in this manner. Already the business community, both the producers and the traders, are under heavy pressure and many are facing serious prospect of huge loss and consequent shut down. The economy is under severe stress and this reckless attitude by our two political parties can only jeopardize our country's future.
Under the circumstances we urge both sides to put the interest of the country above that of their respective parties and work for a solution out of the present crisis. In this regards the role and responsibility of the ruling party is of course much greater than that of the opposition. It is the AL that must take the initiative and bring BNP to talks. It is not the time for arrogance, high handedness and false pride.
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