Editorial
Curtain rises on a great day
Respect people's verdict
Nearly 81 million voters are expected to go to the polls today to cast their votes. In the annals of democracy in Bangladesh this day is of enormous significance, it being the second time that we will see democracy being restored this time after a somewhat unusual interregnum of two years under a Caretaker Government and emergency rule.
Today's polls, we trust, will truly reflect the hopes and aspirations of the people who would be keenly looking forward to the country turning a corner in all respects. One hopes that the political parties would have registered in their mind a very important demand of the people, a demand for change in the overall political culture. Admittedly, such a change will not come overnight, and no change can last long unless the motivation comes from within. We hope that the process of change, which has commenced, would continue beyond election till it is brought to fruition.
What we have seen, as far as electioneering is concerned, augurs well for us. The election campaigns have been violence free barring a few stray incidents. In fact the bonhomie and good feelings displayed towards each other by political opponents in many a constituency is a whiff of fresh air into our political environment. To hear of election processions of opposing groups exchanging pleasantries while passing by gives us reason to feel reasonably confident that we have turned a new page.
Our optimism is reinforced by the speech of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, delivered to the nation through radio and TV Monday last. It is heartening to see both calling for abjuring the path of confrontation and seeking the way of cooperation. We only hope that the call is out of moral convictions and not merely a political ploy to wean away voters.
However, we cannot but note with dismay the fact that neither party has mentioned specifically their position on parliament boycott and hartal. Although Begum Zia has made only a tangential reference to the issue, we would have been happier had they both clearly come out with how they would like to use this potent instrument of expression of political disagreement in the future should they happen to be in the opposition. The people would certainly not like to see parliament boycott and hartal being resorted to at the cost of the country's interest.
We feel it worth reminding the political parties that in the past democracy was blunted, and much of our woes had stemmed, from the unwillingness of the losing party to accept the verdict of the people. Therefore, all said and done, the final test of commitment and loyalty to democracy will lie in the losing side gracefully bowing out to the popular verdict. Respecting peoples' choice is the only way they can acquit themselves as mature political organisation setting a ground-breaking precedent for the vanquished party to be respectful of popular choice in future.
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