They said criminalisation and dominance of money and muscle have made politics confrontational.

The Centre for Strategic and Peace Studies organised the seminar on 'Politics of confrontation and way out' at the Cirdap auditorium. Politicians, academicians and senior journalists took part in the seminar.

Law Minister Moudud Ahmed said, "Dominance of money and muscle over politics has frustrated true and dedicated political activists."

He called on the political parties to shun the path of confrontation and bring changes to the mindset.

The political parties must accept the electoral verdict to evade confrontation, he added.

"Institutional confrontation, instead of competition, among the political parties is a phenomenon in today's politics," said Prof. Syed Anwar Hossain of Dhaka University.

Alternative political platform and leadership are a must to come out of the present confrontational politics, he added.

Presenting a paper, Dr Abdur Rob Khan of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies said building consensus on major national issues could help end political confrontation.

Opposition leader's Political Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury said, "Confrontation in politics is not harmful if the tension is managed through dialogue."

"But it is dangerous when the state apparatus plays a part in political confrontation," he added.

Awami League presidium member Tofail Ahmed said lack of mutual respect among politicians is the main reason for confrontation.

Confrontational politics began in the country with the brutal killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he said.

Columnist Sadeq Khan also presented a paper focussing on detailed perspective of political confrontation.