National dialogue
At last, the PM (head of government) realises that her government alone is incapable of handling the present JMB crisis. She has called for a national dialogue to face the crisis hand in hand with the opposition. It is, indeed, a step in the right direction. The opposition, however, rejected the offer, instead demanded immediate general election under a restructured caretaker government. This response was not unexpected. If the history is a guide, such a dialogue between the government and the opposition has never taken place. More importantly, the given nature and make up of the present government will make this dialogue impossible. The truth is, the Jamaat will be the major hurdle to make such a dialogue possible since this party allegedly has a hand in the JMB bombing activities. The government should prepare and submit a workable framework of dialogue to the President for consideration by the opposition. The opposition must take this opportunity and should consider the framework seriously. Obviously, it can make amendments and resubmit the framework to the president. The President should help in reaching a common framework immediately. Only a common framework of dialogue will yield positive results. The opposition must realise that the extremists are not going to disappear from the horizon soon. Even if the opposition wins the next election, as a new government, they will certainly keep facing this carnage. One does not have to remind that in politics there is no second chance even in the era of Bangladesh's degenerated democracy. The politicians of both persuasions must remember that the so called Islamists have waged a war against the nation, against the people, against the religion and on top of all against the humanity like the Talebans did against Afghanistan.
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