Khaleda Zia speech disappointing

What the BNP chairperson said in her first speech to the national media since January 19, was disappointing as well as foreboding. What has become abundantly clear is Khaleda Zia's intention to continue with the violent movement in the name of the people. It is hard to accept the BNP chairperson's assertion that the last two months of violence, an outcome of so-called blockade and hartal, has not been caused by the BNP activist and its allies. We are perplexed at her insistence on continuing with the same programme without realising that it has not had the desired outcome, i.e. the government has not relented on BNP demands, and is not likely to soon.

The question is when a political programme fails to fulfil its primary objective, what is the point in continuing with it?  It is also hard to understand the party's insensitive position towards the unmitigated harm that it has done to the country and its economy.

The government for its part has tried to address the issue, which is essentially a political one, with force. Consequently, the people, the economy and country as a whole have borne the brunt of the political stalemate. The policy of the government remains as counterproductive as that of BNP's, which has proved to be a self-defeating exercise.

It falls upon leaders, particularly those in the government, to devise ways and means to come out of the morass and deliver the nation from a situation which has cost us dearly in every respect.