At a time when politics is undergoing criminalisation, thanks to gross miscalculations by the ruling party and unholy influence of the anti-liberation forces on one of the main contending political parties, even the highly optimist sees no light at the end of the tunnel. But it is at such a time of great crisis that an answer to the problem suddenly emerges from nowhere. One such positive piece of news comes from as far as Gaibandha under Rangpur Division which has the dubious distinction of taking political hatred to a new level through arson of minority homes and a lethal attack on the convoy of the local lawmaker at the time of his return from a visit to the affected families. The attack left five followers accompanying the lawmaker dead.
Gaibandha also suffered from communal frenzy and amidst all such brutal politics, it has accomplished an excellent feat unimaginable in the context of today's Bangladesh. Leaders of the Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) there bade farewell to politics of hatred through mutual consensus. What a marvellous achievement on the part of the leaders on both sides of the political divide in Gaibandha. It is a sure triumph of rationality and sanity. Peace has been holding there ever since the two sides decided that they would not engage in political violence or clashes against each other. If there was a seed of discord, the leaders of the two sides would sit together and through negotiation they would resolve it. The leaders of the contending political parties in Gaibandha have done what civilised people the world over do.
There is perhaps no country under the sun, which is free from political rancour, manoeuvring and competition but then there is a universally acceptable form to pursue respective objectives. When national leaders are wanting in enough wisdom, courage, farsightedness in protecting the people's interests here, political leaders of Gaibandha have demonstrated the right kind of will to overcome the crisis. It is axiomatic that great leaders can feel the common people's pulse and that is key to pulling a large following who rally behind their leader because the latter represents them and gives expression to their hopes and aspiration. But at times the top leaders have a lesson or two to learn from leaders at the grass-roots level.
Perhaps here is an occasion when things should be set in the reverse order. Gaibandha can be a model of political relationship between the two contending parties. Instead of putting pressure on the local leaderships there to fall in line with the rest of the country, it would be wise on the part of the top leaders to emulate the spirit with which these local leaders have approached the issue of political stand-off. Let local leaders in more areas follow suit, the political hostility can be a thing of the past. If leaders in Gaibandha can, there is no reason why their counterparts elsewhere in the country cannot. After all, it is a triumph of rationality over insanity.
The important thing is that the people in general abhor such senseless violence and mayhem. Those who sponsor violence in the name of politics may want anything but not the country's and its people's welfare. Now that the leaders of Gaibandha have proved that peace can hold against the insanity wreaking havoc almost all across the country, their resolution must be honoured and made an objective against all other political fallacies. That it is possible and has approval from the people is its strength. Will the leaders at the top pay heed to this simple solution?      Â
Eureka, solution is not far beyond
Neil Ray | Published: January 05, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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