PM's address to the nation

By Sanjoy Nath Sundarkhali, Chittagong
18 October 2005, 18:00 PM
I was pleasantly surprised to see our prime minister accept some failures in her recent performance, in the address to the nation on BTV. This is a good way to earn respect from the people, and I hope it is a trend the leader of the opposition will also emulate in her speeches.

But it occurs to me that in many other democracies (eg USA, Canada, UK, Australia, India), when the government or ruling party makes an address on television or radio, it is a custom to allow the opposition to do the same, often as a rebuttal. This takes place every week after the US President's radio address to the nation, and on the next day in England after a "Party Political Broadcast". It allows the opposition to analyse the government's position and disciplines the ruling party to be accurate and responsible in its presentation.

My request to the prime minister: Please allow the opposition leader to make an address each time you do so, and set it up as a rule. This means if the prime minister becomes opposition leader one day, she will still have a chance to address the nation, as the population demands.