As the clock is ticking fast and the time for the next general elections is getting nearer, the seemingly intractable political stalemate in Bangladesh shows no sign of a breakthrough.
The nation passes each day amid heightened tension and anxiety; unfortunately, no light is yet discernible at the end of the tunnel.
It is one of the most unfortunate moments in the country's political history when the politicians have not only failed to live up to the expectations. But the people do, by and large, feel that the current imbroglio is only the politicians' creation. Two sides -- the government and the opposition -- are seeking to turn the table on their opponent for the present political crisis of a severe proportion.
But sticking to their own guns and showing no sign of flexibility or accommodation for greater good of the nation bode ill for the country. After all, stubbornness or obstinacy hardly pays off anything good when it comes to collective interest and that too involving a country of 160 million people.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is unquestionably the most important figure in the present scenario and suitably placed to provide a solution to the crisis, has returned from the Commonwealth summit in Colombo. She spoke there about the imperatives for ensuring global peace and stability. She earlier said it is the welfare of the people -- and not the attraction of prime ministership -- that matters most to her. Hasina had also spoken about making "supreme" sacrifice in the greater interest of the nation. As the head of the government, the onus is largely on her for demonstrating wisdom by agreeing to provide an acceptable a solution to the political impasse.
On the other hand, the main opposition leader, Begum Khaleda Zia, demonstrated toughness in her stance when she visited the National Press Club the other day. She, too, needs to adopt flexibility and shun the path of rigidity for arriving at a solution that can facilitate the participation of all major parties in the next polls.
Whether it is a "neutral" or "all-party" poll-time government, the fact remains that any balloting, without having the participation by the main players in the country's political spectrum, would only invite more problems than providing any solution. Besides, it is highly unlikely to be accepted both at home and abroad -- let alone being considered as any credible voting that is seen in most of the democratic world.
Bangladesh now stands at a crossroads as only seldom -- probably, never before -- it faced such a complex situation as it is facing currently. Ironically, it is not a natural disaster or any occurrence originating from the whims of nature. It is entirely a human-made one. There is no iota of doubt that the present political stand-off, causing enormous anxiety and concern all round -- both nationally and beyond -- is unfortunately the creation of the persons, who are our leaders and are supposed to lead, guide and govern the country, for a better future. It is not their job to create, either by design or by default, a situation in which the nation looks to be inexorably moving towards plunging itself into a graver crisis.
It is against this background, the political gridlock that had earlier shown some signs of being resolved, has now gone back to square one. This tends to dash down hopes for any redress. Earlier, Sheikh Hasina addressed the nation on one Friday evening and the speech drew the attention of all concerned for obvious reasons. Expectedly, the people remained glued to the TV and radio for the simple reason to know what the head of the government had to say at this critical situation; a hardening approach to the opposition, any wayout of the complicated scenario -- or offering of an olive branch? The crux of the whole thing was the coming elections - how that would take place and under whose authority.
Sheikh Hasina "requested" the Leader of the Opposition, Khaleda Zia, to name probable ministers in the all-party cabinet that the PM proposed to oversee a credible election. True, the proposal falls short of specifically mentioning as to who would head the "interim" government; but the new elements contained in the address deserved some merit in the sense that it might provide some basis for future developments.
The bottom line was that the prime minister appeared to shed stubbornness and this could facilitate a kind of forward movement for a settlement of the crisis.
But the opposition felt that "it is who will head the poll-time government" that is at the heart of the present crisis and this knotty issue needs to be sorted out first.
The much-hyped telephonic conversation that came later in the form of a flicker of hope sadly turned out to be something else that generated more bitterness between two lady-politicians rather than improving the overall environment that is conducive to help resolve the lingering crisis.
The political condition received further setbacks as several developments appeared to have further fouled up things.
The continued "hartals" (general strike) marked by violence, the arrest of senior opposition political leaders on apparently flimsy grounds, the resignations of the ministers that evoked a sharp controversy and last but not least the hardline comments of some over-zealous figures on both the sides are clearly blocking the way for a negotiated settlement of the crisis.
But it is primarily and ultimately the two leaders that matter in the current imbroglio, given the nature of the country's polity. Would they now at the most critical moment of the present phase of the political imbroglio come up with instances of gumption and sagacity that would save the nation from an increasingly hopeless condition?
This is the hope that the people of the country and its well-wishers at abroad would still like to cherish. Let it not be a hope against hope. Time is fast running out. So every moment is more critically important for the nation now than before. The leaders who matter most should not allow any opportunity to slip away. Otherwise, credible and fully participatory election -- the basic foundation of a democratic polity -- will delude the nation. And elections sans full participation of all major parties will make democracy meaningless, both in its form and substance.
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