Nation awaits a dialogue

It may be recalled that the opposition had tabled its 5-point proposal on caretaker government and electoral reforms on February 12 and the prime minister agreed to form a joint committee to discuss the reforms issues. But, in between, the ruling alliance and the opposition alliance kept going with their usual politics of diatribe that threatened the prospect of formation of a committee to get things moving. The sit-in programme of the opposition alliance on 30 March and the government reaction to it had the potential of aggravating the situation, but thankfully, it did not. Instead, it took a turn for the positive with the proposal coming from the BNP high command for forming a committee.

Understandably, the proposed committee, once formed, will sit to evolve a modality and fix the reforms agenda on the basis of which the talks would go forward and hopefully reach a meaningful outcome. Thus the common standpoint should be that no side must take a cast-iron attitude and verbal restraints should be applied so that the committee can start functioning without much ado. The overarching fact is that whatever understanding is forged between the two sides, it will have to be legislated in parliament to amend the relevant constitutional provisions.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Now that some form of engagement has commenced through exchange of letters it is of paramount importance that this be taken forward to its ultimate goal by ensuring an atmosphere congenial to furthering the process of the dialogue.