We have already tested the two major political parties and both of them have failed to deliver. It's time for the politicians like B Chowdhury to come forward.

I have read the news about Prof. Badruddoza Choudhury's speaking on the current state of affairs . What I don't understand is why did he have to speak out like this now? He never tried to set things right when he was a member of the BNP.

There is no doubt that the country's political leadership is stuck in the quagmire of poor governance. The ruling alliance made many mistakes from the very beginning, not the least of which was the size of the cabinet. Wasn't Mr. Choudhury then busy seeking for himself the office of the president, caring less about the mistakes that his party was making?

As president, let's not forget facts, the professor was busy cutting tapes, opening functions and lecturing on issues of politics that was hardly his business.

I, for one, felt at that time that his love of the limelight was creating grounds for a showdown between him and the prime minister.

No one doubts his credentials as a man and a politician. This is why many of us were indeed surprised that he, as everyone knows, sought the post of president. He should not have done that because he was needed in the party and the post of the president was hardly one where such a talent as his should have been wasted.

More importantly, the present messing up of things by the government is attributable to the absence of mature politicians like him in the ruling alliance. Mr. Choudhury should have stayed on in the party and together with his senior colleagues, like the finance minister, worked out the problems facing the country. The elected leaders, not those deriving political clout from sources undemocratic, are supposed to lead the country.

My reaction to Mr. Choudhury's press conference is that it will, coming in the wake of the Awami League's threat to create a law and order situation to bring down the government, create a condition tantamount to a gridlock from which all of us will suffer . I wish Mr. Choudhury had acted earlier within the party when the symptoms of what he is picturing now were clearly visible.

Shahjahan Ahmed, Dhanbmandi R/A, Dhaka