By The Numbers
Time to make history
WHILE the entire nation is anxiously waiting for the long stalled ninth parliamentary election, the exchange of pleasantries between two top political leaders Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia on November 21 evening at the Armed Forces Day reception, brought a bit of relief for the nation in the on-going stalemate on holding the parliamentary election.
The two political arch-rivals Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia came across each other for the last time on November 21, 2006 at the same place on the same occasion. Though the two leaders sat in opposite aisles facing each other under a canopy and the distance between them was hardly 15 yards, they did not even exchange looks. The two top leaders of the country, except for exchanging pleasantries on a few occasions, had not talked to each other for the last 17 years.
The two top leaders Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina had agreed to sit together in mid-November apparently to discuss country's political impasse. But the proposed talks between two leaders could not be held as they had imposed some implicit and explicit conditions for the talks.
AL president Sheikh Hasina had said she would sit with her counterpart in BNP, but matters relating to the ninth parliamentary election would have to be top of the agenda. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, on the other hand, had said she would prefer talk on the country's overall situation without restricting it to specific subjects.
There was also much speculation and enthusiasm in September over the proposed talks between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina to discuss the on-going political stalemate. Barrister Rafiqul Haq, a common lawyer of the two leaders, first made the proposal for the talks. But the proposal for the talks fell flat due to lack of enthusiasm from both the camps, AL and BNP.
Exchange of cursory pleasantries between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina does not have any reason for the nation to be overwhelmed with emotion as it has hardly any chance of reducing the ever-widening gap between the two top leaders of the country.
They would not be able to contribute positively in resolving any national crisis unless they could bury their mutual mistrust and recrimination sitting across the negotiation table. A political relationship between the two paramount political leaders is sure to achieve wonders in restoring political process in the country as it did for outing the dictatorship in 1991.
The conscious citizens across the country strongly believe that an effectual talk between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia can help a lot in forging consensus on certain crucial issues of national interest like acceptance of defeat in election with good grace, to play a productive role in the parliament instead of boycotting it and to abstain from imposing hartals and blockades and it is the high time for the leaders to develop a decent political relation between them and their respective parties.
Much of the onus regarding the future of stability and prosperity of the country now rests on the shoulders of the chiefs of AL and BNP, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, as their leadership has withstood the acid test of minus two formula.
The two top leaders are now poised to fight yet another round of battle of ballots on December 29, crossing over huge hurdles. Both the leaders who had suffered a lot since the 1/11 changeover, must rise to the popular anticipation and expectation of real statesmanship, burying their past acrimony and sit together with open minds to strike an agreement to establish a political relation to avert all post-election intricacies. For God's sake, please do it now, otherwise it will be done never.
A free and fair election is not enough for the well-being of the people. The people of this country have witnessed at least three fair elections under the caretaker government. But it was sheer bad luck for them that not one of the elections hardly helped in changing their lot. Rather, political rivalry and confrontation between the major parties followed by innumerable hartals made their lives miserable.
The elusive talk between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia could not be held because of their differences in views about its modus operandi. Their exchange of pleasantries at Senakunja has at least paved the way for reducing ever-widening gap between them. It may not now be a futile exercise if the government takes a fresh initiative to bring the two top leaders to a negotiation table. Our paramount political leaders should remember that Barack Obama and John McCain have really put them to shame.
A working group with members from both the camps should determine the agenda for the talks, attaching highest priority to make the ninth parliamentary election a meaningful one. Other burning political issues like boycotting parliament, imposing hartal and blockade, skyrocketing prices of essentials, igniting conflicts and blame game should also be discussed to strike an agreement.
Since both the parties AL and BNP claim to be committed to the well-being of the people, their two top leaders owe this to the people to bring about a positive change in their attitude toward each other that has been a major cause of miseries for the nation.
The political division that is witnessed today among the doctors, the university teachers, the lawyers, the engineers, and even among the government officials, is no doubt an unfortunate offshoot of inimical relationship between two top leaders of the country. A political relation between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia is imperative to bring the nation closer in the broad national interest -- and history is waiting for them to forge.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments