Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 820 Sat. September 16, 2006  
   
Editorial


Editorial
Secretary-general level talks
Better late than never
WITH only weeks left of the tenure of the incumbent government, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has finally called upon the opposition political parties to initiate a talk to end the stalemate. In a public meeting in Brahmanbaria, she has suggested holding a dialogue between the secretaries general (SG) of the ruling and opposition parties that are in loggerheads over some key issues pertaining to reforms of the voter list and caretaker government before holding of the general elections in 2007. The prime minister has made it clear that the opposition should sit for discussion before her government hands over power to a caretaker government next month.

The secretary-general level talk was already a demand of the opposition and the prime minister seems to have conceded that in a way in the public meeting. To some extent, it is a step forward in the context of the prevailing violence-ridden political environment. So, it is all the more imperative on the PM's part to instruct her party secretary-general to set the ball rolling.

The civil society has been urging the government to create a congenial setting for holding a dialogue with the opposition political parties instead of wasting time in exchanging letters, which was doomed to fail from the very outset. At one point of time, business leaders also urged upon the government to open the door for dialogue in a bid to end the impasse. But nothing could cause the much-needed change of heart.

Instead of listening to the voice of reason, the government opted for unleashing brutal force on the opposition leaders and activists who came out on the roads to protest. The subsequent police excess on the pickets has not only left scores severely wounded, it has equally damaged the image of the country beyond repair. Clearly, the nation has been drifting fast to a point of no return.

Now that the prime minister has talked openly about a dialogue, we feel the opposition should make the best use of the opportunity. There is no denying that the nation is on a collision course and the onus is on the government to avert it. But the opposition also has its responsible role to play.