Who could we turn to?

When travelers' helplessness was immediate and despairing, a more permanent sense of helplessness took hold of all of us with the reality sinking in: we have nobody to turn to; we all are expendable to politicians' interest. Because November 21 strike was essentially a government enforced hartal. Anybody pretending otherwise will have to explain the remarkable coincidence of the strike happening just the day before Awami League's grand rally.

Awami League hartals, no matter how we hate them, are at least declared in advance. Though emergencies like taking someone to hospital don't care about advance notice, life to a large part can be adjusted to brace the inconvenience. That was not to be with the BNP. In the evil design to hinder the AL's programme, they unhesitatingly put scores of people marooned in despair whom they took oath to serve. Not to mention the economic losses that resulted.

Sometime next year we will have to vote. We have two parties. One party's activities consist mainly of ruminating history and shouting, "Oust the government right now." As if to add variation, now they have unleashed a string of election promises they didn't bother to implement when time was theirs. Another party rules through a motion of denial for everything from skyrocketing prices to BCS question leakage. Now they have proved they can sell us out anytime it serves their own end.

What should we, ordinary voters, do now?