This not political programme

WE have been making the point and will continue to do so till the cows come home that blockades and hartals are rank bad ideas, more so when innocent lives are lost and private and public properties destroyed in the name of such programmes. It is a pity that the same old script, that we saw being played in 2013 is being reenacted with the two parties rooted to their implacable positions.

In the last seven days ending Saturday 10 Jan, 11 people have been killed and 162 vehicles damaged or destroyed. Houses of ministers and political party offices have been targeted in many parts of the country. And going by the announcement of the BNP there appears no likelihood of a let up in the blockade programmes.

While not for a moment suggesting the abridgment of the right of political parties to organise peaceful political activities including meetings and rallies, we take issue with the type of programme that results in deaths and destruction. Such activities cannot meet the definition of politics or political programme.

It cannot be lost on the political parties who seek public support for their agenda that there is no chance at all of getting it by resorting to terror tactics and inculcating fear in the minds of the people. It is true that the BNP has been pushed to the wall by the government's refusal to allow it political space, but no amount of provocation, either from the government or opposing political party, can justify the violence that we are witnessing.