That said, there still remains something more to say about the commentary. I could not help noticing the tone of your criticism of the prime minister. It was sweeping and harsh in condemnation not as much of the government as the prime minister personally. While the PM could be faulted for naming the AL behind the attack without the investigation yet to be done, the commentary suggests that Sheikh Hasina was stopped at the Cantonment this time , Ershad on another occasion and Shekih Hasina again at the time of the deaths of the soldiers who died in Sierra Leone by the prime minister herself. How did the commentary reach this conclusion? It could be very well possible that the incidents were carried out by some bureaucrat at a low level with the people around the PM and the latter could as well have had very little to do with the acts. Just as the PM was speculative in naming the AL behind the attack on Dr. Humayun, the commentary was equally speculative in naming the PM directly responsible for these acts upon which she has been called arrogant and a despot. Even if I accept the contention that the prime minister is responsible for these acts, it is quite a different thing to conclude from these that she is a despot. This was a very harsh and hasty conclusion indeed.

The commentary informed us of the status of the Leader of the Opposition. However, nothing was said of her virulent mouth. If these acts make the PM a despot, then by the same standards applied to Khaleda Zia would make Sheikh Hasina equally a despot (taking her tenure as PM into consideration) and much more irresponsible than the PM in her utterances. However, I remember the editor's past commentaries but I don't recollect Shekih Hasina ever criticized the way Khaleda Zia is. Then, Sheikh Hasina did not go to see Dr. Azad for reasons of the heart. She went there for politics and to put the blame for the incident on Khaleda Zia. She has already blamed the Jamaat for the act and would perhaps have blamed the BNP as well had she been able to visit Dr. Azad.

The attack on Dr. Azad was a dastardly act. It manifests a deteriorating law and order situation. As much as the PM must bear responsibility, the need is more to speak of the inability of the Home Ministry and the Police. In fact, the commentary should have been on the inefficiency of these institutions and by that reference, the PM could have been criticised.