Light at the end of the tunnel

We thank him for his judicious decision. If only Justice Hasan had made up his mind early on, the welter of violence in which several people lost their lives and many others were injured, could have been avoided.

That said, we turn to a complementary development in which BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and his AL counterpart Abdul Jalil met the president at Ganabhaban on the latter's invitation that came immediately on the heels of KM Hasan declining to take over as caretaker government chief. The president by taking a swift move has only reflected his sagacious realisation that the law and order situation was going out of hand and that the haemorrhage had to be stopped.

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The political programmes and counter-programmes of the political parties that one can guess was resorted to as a show of strength, have demonstrated an utter lack of concern on their part for the convenience of the common people. Had that been so they would have had the good sense of avoiding disrupting communications at a time when people were returning back to the capital from their Eid holidays.

A large number of people including women and children were left stranded on the highways many miles outside, in the fringes of the city and in Sadarghat terminal, with no means of transport to get them home, only because of callous disregard for their interest. What right did the political parties have to put the people through such suffering?

Another dimension of hostility that has very amply demonstrated lack of tolerance for dissent on the part of the BNP and a sorry sight for all to witness is the violence perpetrated on the breakaway members of the BNP who have joined the newly formed LDP. The way their houses and property were set upon by BNP hoodlums gives one to wonder what can happen when there is virtually no government in the country.

Now that a political settlement is in the offing, the political parties should stem the tide of violence with an iron hand.