We do not wish to get caught up in the minutia of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s speech on Tuesday, which included both laudable as well as regrettable sentiments and statements, but rather to focus on the crux of her speech: the call for renewed dialogue and the march for democracy on December 29.
The call for renewed dialogue, while always welcome, strikes us as too little, too late. While it may be true that the government has shown little inclination to negotiate with the BNP in good faith, it is also true that at no point did the BNP present itself as a constructive partner for meaningful dialogue towards a mutually acceptable solution to the election crisis.
Similarly, the months-long series of hartals and blockades that have caused incalculable damage to the economy and left hundreds dead was an unconscionable strategy for the party and its allies to have pursued.
Had they been sincere in their approach, the party could have laid down reasonable conditions for the upcoming election which the AL would have found difficult to credibly oppose. BNP most certainly should have pursued its agenda in a peaceful and inclusive manner, and not taken to the streets to press its case, with catastrophic consequences for the nation.
Nevertheless, we are gratified that at long last the party is proposing a form of protest that is both peaceful and inclusive of the general public.
The opposition leader was unequivocal in stating that “everyone must ensure that no harm is done to the lives and property of the people” and that “the non-communal heritage and character of the people of Bangladesh must be protected.”
Late in the day though it might be, we welcome Khaleda Zia’s new-found emphasis on non-violent demonstration and renewed dialogue to seek compromise on the mode of election, and we will hold her to her word.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
That the great bulk of so-called elite class has always been jaundiced-eyed and biased is manifest in their quest not for the cause but for the effect. Why did the opposition have to resort to violent demonstration on the streets has hardly been asked or inquired. How could one expect in a democracy that opposition party offices should be under lock and key, their activists get bullet injuries and even killed by the law & order forces whenever they are found on the street, their leaders should be implicated in hundreds of fabricated cases? Do anyone care to remember Mahatma Gandhi who said violence can only beget more violence? Can anyone say that the present govt is behaving like a civilized and democratic govt?