Editor's Note

The set of blunders by BNP and that of Awami League during their tenures in power as well as when they were in the opposition do not cancel each other out. On the contrary, they add up to a huge legacy of follies and baggage of liabilities that keep catapulting national politics on to a perennially cliff-hanging trajectory.

Until both parties draw the right lessons from their post-1991 mistakes, particularly from the turmoil of 2006 and early 2007, the spectre of a replay and repeat of 1/11 in some form or the other appears to be looming on the horizon. Yet, the relative calm and opposition's avoidance of hardline programme just yet, topped up by an exchange of ideas on an interim arrangement for the next general election, do provide a respite and a glimpse of hope for a negotiated settlement. An election without participation of all major political parties ought not to be entertained even as a remote possibility by the ruling party. Thus the onus is by and large on it.

Law enforcers seem bent upon proving the Orwellian dictum -- 'Some are more equal than others'. Judging by the liberal use of Sections 54 and 167 of the CrCP, the first allowing police to arrest anyone without a warrant and the second enabling taking an accused into remand, open the door to custodial torture and forced confession. This is a litmus test for a democratic government to measure up to. It is time the draconian provisions are at the very least reformed in the light of best practices followed in established democracies. If the rule of law is to be upheld there cannot be any compromise on its basic parameters. Equality before the eye of law in the ultimate analysis is for the government of the day to practice by examples.

On the Grameen Bank saga, 'some tend to miss out the most vital point that Grameen is a nation's bank of pride as well as it's a model that nations across the world look upon to emulate'. Thus arguing, a writer reiterates the ongoing demand for giving back the majority shareholders of the Grameen their rightful say in the running of the bank's affairs.

An extraordinary piece appears under the title Enabling Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Drawing upon Brac's success story in Uganda, it highlights the core of the Brac philosophy which is that 'talent is scattered evenly at birth; opportunity is not.'

Tripartite cooperation in trade and investment among India, Bangladesh and Myanmar under the BIMSTEC umbrella holds out tremendous prospect for collective growth in an important neighbourhood.

The contents are varied with articles entitled Popularising Science Education, The Rail Solution, Chile 1973, End of a Dream, When Country Overwhelms the City and Rape in 1971 -- An Act of Genocide. A wide range of interests is as usual being catered for.