BNP-AL

That was a welcome departure from trading of accusations which has raised questions regarding the efficacy of the parliamentary form of government in our context. In the past we saw the two parties intermittently responding to peace overtures only to shy away from them when a breakthrough seemed likely.

The two top leaders spoke on the need for reactivating parliament, which has not delivered much in the last 30 months or so. It is heartening to learn that BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan has said that "the job of uniting the divided society rests primarily with the political parties." He has, in fact, divulged a truth that the political parties cannot evade without causing great harm to the nation at large.

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It is, however, not clear why the two political parties need some kind of persuasion to talk to each other. On this occasion also the leaders met at a ceremony organised by Dhaka Reporters Unity. They know better than others that the country is passing through a political crisis which has a crippling effect on every sector. So it was expected that they would make some sincere efforts to break the deadlock. Such an initiative, we believe, must come from the ruling party.

The political parties must also realise that they have wasted too much time on politics of bickering that has pushed the country further down as far as its international standing is concerned. Regrettably, there is yet no sign of the stand-off coming to an end.

There are many issues -- the debate over government's plan to extend JS seats, for example -- for the two sides to open a dialogue with. The absence of the opposition in parliament virtually turns every action of the government into a unilateral one -- something not permitted under democratic dispensation. So, a dialogue for the opposition's return to parliament must be initiated immediately, and the government should be ready to concede the space that the opposition needs to work in parliament. We hope the bonhomie won't be short-lived and that some real progress would be made towards a working relationship between the BNP-led ruling coalition and the opposition.