At this point the readers may recall that such a proposition was dished out by the former prime minister and present leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina when in power. Besides airing her considered views on such prospects, she made frantic calls to the leader of the opposition at that time Begum Khaleda Zia on telephone to start a dialogue in line with her present thinking.

One couldn't be sure if the realisation of Begum Zia was a mere political ploy to camouflage her inner mind on the contrary. But in her lengthy deliberation in the political Science Association she couldn't eventually keep up the tone of the offer of cleansing the politics. It needed much more open heartedness, a positive change in attitude towards the past. It required of her to refrain from alluding to the otherwise "controversial lapses and failures" of the post-liberation war government headed by none other than Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman. In fact, her appreciation of the brief period between December 1971 and August 15, 1975 had been born of a politically motivated vendetta which she had inherited after being raised to power.

In spite of the offer towards cleansing politics in Bangladesh one has to be doubly sure if the people would have to witness ever again the self-same scenario in the national parliament presenting the prime minister and leader of the house thumping upon her desk enjoying in gleeful smile the wild uncouth and slang harangues of her partymen at Sheikh Hasina. A noted journalist described such vituperative invectives as those filthy exchanges familiar with the people living in shanties or in red-light areas. He even went to the extent of doubting legitimacy of the stock of those marauders of sober language whom their leader was seen backing up. However, one would like to believe that it was not she, rather it was a perverted image of some one else. Such a conviction would very spontaneously emerge when one seeks to conjure up a far more responsible reflection in the personality of the hon'ble prime minister. It was indeed unbelieveable to the viewers that any one in that seat, more so a venerable lady of her stature, could act so ridiculously.

Slandering each other, personal vilification, casting abusive remarks, mud-slinging and character assassination have been, for long, an insidious practice and favourite pastime with many of the political leaders in the country. At times, such exchange of castigations go beyond all limits of decency and decorum. Some are used to behave like environmentally polluted ruffians forfeiting their rights to represent the people at large.

This is a staggering account of the scenario the people of Bangladesh have been used to watch over the past two and a half decades or so. It is indeed a perpetual malady and a virile aberration of our national dignity. Against such a tragic backdrop the observation of the Prime Minister on the state politics here shall certainly deserve thoughtful consideration.

But the question is how soon Begum Zia shall take a formal initiative. Assuming that she does it soon, the endeavour on her part will have to be preceded by an unequivocal statement from her addressing the leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina in particular and the nation at large to the effect that she feels very sorry for the poor level of personal relationship between the political leaders. She shall also express her genuine desire to forget all bitter bickerings of the past and her firm determination to start anew with a new slate. Such a projected and a highly magnanimous statement on her part shall include an open-arm invitation to her political adversary to shake hands and to help her re-establish a serene personal relationship independent of their respective ideological difference. She shall also clearly assure that she will be both morally and intellectually bound to forestall recurrence of the old mimmicks and personalised acrimonies heretofore. This, I foresee, can be the first step towards a long-term settlement. It needs tremendous guts on her part and I believe she has it in store abundantly.

I do not see it as a one-sided game. The whole gamut as envisaged will naturally demand of the leader of the opposition an equal degree of receptivity to instantly reciprocate. I say so because it was in fact Sheikh Hasina herself who had first rose to the occasion making frantic efforts at wiping out past scars towards building a convivial personal relationship an everlasting bond of friendship. In this context I am tempted to recapitulate the apparently genuine lamentations of one very controversial personality in the political arena to-day. I remember his express affectations over the perpetual and pitiable failure on the part of our politicians to develop and build personal relationship at family level beyond their individual political ideology. He cited his own family's example having excellent relationship with Bangabandhu's family for long despite his father's difference in political ideology with Sheikh Mujib. Such bond of friendship between the lion-hearted Sheikh with Muslim league leaders like Khan A Subur and Fazlul Quader Chowdhury had been so strong that Bangabandhu took upon himself personal responsibility to save them from the wrath of the freedom fighters after the war of liberation in 1971. They were kept in jail as a protection measure.

Once the re-alignment foreseen above is established the ice shall be considered to have been broken. During the melting process informal contacts between the two entities, not only at the top-most level but also in their respective lower echelons, shall be expected to commence spontaneously. The ground for a formal dialogue and a summit shall thus be prepared.

The next step shall be to work out a comprehensive list of national issues to be taken care of by all the government therefore in a uniform manner. The list will be drawn by a high-powered committee comprising three members from each of the two major political parties and three to be nominated by other parties jointly. The composition of the committee may, however, be open to further discussion to arrive at a consensus. This committee will make its specific recommendations which will be ultimately authenticated by the chief of all the parties involved. The objectives are to be unambiguously spelled out and must include, inter alia, a sacred commitment from the leaders that they will remain morally and legally bound to ensure that they will not indulge in personal vilification hereinafter. Their remarks over ideological differences will also be tiered to the parties only, not to individuals. The language, in this case, should have moderation befitting a civil society.

This is just an outline of the scenario which one can imagine at the moment. one would, however, invite others to improve on the suggestions and help develop a concrete matrix for the political leaders, particularly of the two major parties, to consider for implementation. Hopefully, they will grant our national issues the highest 'priority and make sincerest endeavours to reach a consensus. The luxury of their passing putrid remarks at each other must be stopped immediately. The people do not want it any longer.

Kazi Alauddin Ahmed is an industrial consultant