High stakes in the dialogue

Although at the end of each encounter, both sides claimed to have made some headway in the talks, no specific detail was released to the press about it thereby raising doubt whether the one-to-one engagement was being directionless. This apprehension seemingly gained ground when out in the open both sides traded ballistic remarks against each other. Even so, the very continuation of the dialogue process has bred hopes in the public mind for a denouement, especially when impressions were given of the gaps being progressively bridged on issues.

The point we are trying to drive home is while so much of the nation's time, energy and emotion has been invested in the dialogue process, the latter cannot simply be allowed to founder on the rock of any narrow partisan spirit.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Running parallel to the dialogue process is an ominous-looking drift towards confrontation. Both sides are preparing for a showdown in the street, if the talks, now centred on one issue, namely that of doing away with Justice KM Hasan as the chief of the caretaker government, should fail. The ruling BNP has chalked out a programme to show their strength of public support by holding rallies at Paltan and other places from October 27 to November 1. On the other hand, the 14-party alliance are taking preparations for laying siege to Dhaka and bringing things to a standstill in the event that Justice KM Hasan takes over as chief advisor to the caretaker government.

All these raise the stakes in the talks further. The choice before the ruling and opposition parties is between sanity and insanity, between equanimity and disaster. All we entreat them to do is to keep the national interest uppermost in their minds.