Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accuse Khaleda Zia of having a link with international militant group Islamic State (IS), and said the BNP chief will have to face trial for killing people.

A group of foreign diplomats called for a dialogue and compromise among rival political parties to bring an end to the deadly violence.

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam says country's ongoing violence is part of global terrorist activities by religious fundamentalists.

PASHCHIM Banga Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's upcoming three-day visit to Dhaka starting February 19 on the eve of International Language Day celebration will be keenly watched by foreign policy makers and experts in both the nations as it has the potential to lift India-Bangladesh ties. It is also taking place at a time when the two key contenders of power—AL and BNP, are locked in a battle of attrition with the US, Britain and European Union expressing concern over continued political violence and unrest.

BANGLADESH is now in the grip of a crisis, one whose magnitude and dimension surpasses anything of the kind in the history of the country. Both the ruling party and the opposition are adamant and unbending. Nearly 100 innocent people have been killed in petrol bomb attacks and street violence since the indefinite blockade and hartal was imposed by the BNP. Dozens have died in “crossfire” and “encounter”. Both sides have crossed their limits. But as the saying goes: Climb not too high.

Negotiation is the language of democracy, and politics the art of compromise. People are getting fed up and voices are being raised in the country. The initiative we took is a reflection of that voice, of people's expectations. We expect that the political parties will come together and in the best interest of the people, sit down and ultimately solve the problem amicably. There will have to be a negotiation or settlement of the issues. Otherwise we will be in deep trouble as a nation, facing an uncertain future.

ON the 2nd of February 2015, India's Border Security Forces killed Nazrul, a farmer who was sowing paddy in his own area along the Ochintopur border of Birampur upazila. Ironically, "Ochintonpur" means an area of the incredible and "Birampur" means the land of the tireless. Nazrul, a resident of that area took an Indian bullet for no fault of his own. The same incident was reported a week back when Amin and Khoijul were shot in Kashipur village in North 24 Parganas, while returning to Bangladesh with their cattle. As a nation, we grieve every time Phelani, Nazrul, Amin or Khoijul are killed by the 'others', but what do we do when we kill our own with 300 taka worth of petrol bomb and earn, perhaps, not even 2000 Taka in exchange?

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POLITICAL violence has plunged the nation into a vortex of uncertainty. As the BNP-JI led 20-party alliance's agitation continues, there is widespread despair in the minds of the ordinary citizen. We never saw the kind of senseless violence that we are witnessing now. A new element introduced this time is petrol bomb.

THE United Nations has voiced its concern over continuing political violence and fatalities in Bangladesh for more than a month. The former UN Assistant Secretary General, Political Affairs, Oscar Fernandez Taranco has been reportedly assigned to coordinate with Bangladesh government in matters of persuading the contending parties to resolve their differences.

ENOUGH has already been written, discussed and debated on the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh, especially with regard to the usefulness of a meaningful dialogue between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia to resolve the crisis, albeit in the short term. However, all the unsolicited advice seems to have gone down the Buriganga, which is also as polluted as Bangladesh politics.

AN interesting trend can be observed when one takes a look at the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rates of the country during the past few years. If GDP growth rates are plotted according to year, it has a resemblance to a wave, containing a peak and a trough. The dips in the economic growth rates can be seen during election years where rates start to decline in the years preceding the election years.

POLITICS seems to have gone mad! It has ruthlessly been harming future nation-builders by shattering their academic life alongside killing innocent people and destroying the country's economic backbone.

LET me start this piece today with a joke that fits in here so perfectly. God created this subcontinent as a wealthy, fertile and prosperous land. The other nations protested about this favouritism. So, God in His infinite wisdom willed the type of governments we have had in this region to balance matters. We have been cursed since then.

IN a spectacular and dramatic turn of events little known Aam Admi Party led by Arvind Kejriwal has trounced formidable Narendra Modi's BJP. In the 70-seat Delhi Assembly election, AAP secured 67 seats. BJP managed only 3 seats. Congress which had ruled Delhi for 15 years scored a duck. Delhi is a Union territory, with the status of a state. It has its own government.

ONE may wonder if the principal political parties of Bangladesh have embarked upon an ominous battle of wearing down the opponent. The astounding actions of our major political actors would perhaps testify to the substance of such a premonition. Extreme rigidity in a democratic dispensation is not at all desirable. It also needs to be said that the present stalemate is not the first instance when political actors have ventured to act their own way, come what may.

It has been more than a month since the anti-government blockade started. With it came continuous spells of hartal, and while Molotov cocktails have become part-and-parcel of the 20-party alliance strategy, it appears that firearms are about to join the fray. The police have recently unearthed an illegal racket of arms whereby dealers are using children as arms carriers.

THE civil society members have done the most civilised thing. They have made an appeal to the president, prime minister and the BNP chairperson for a dialogue to save this country.

A few years after World War II, when the North Atlantic Treaty was ratified in the United States and our relationship with Europe was cemented, President Harry Truman said simply: “The more closely the nations of the Atlantic community can work together for peace, the better for all people, everywhere.”