Although the BNP-led 18-party alliance enforced countrywide blockade ended at 5:00pm on Tuesday, opposition activists torched this bus while it was parked in Chittagong city's Munshir Dighir Par early yesterday. photo:Anurup Kanti Das

Eminent citizens at a discussion yesterday observed that they saw little hope of a solution to the ongoing political crisis as the two rival political parties are adamant about their stances.
Of them, Prof MM Akash cautioned that if the crisis persists, both the Awami League and BNP might not last.
The discussion, “Extensive unity is needed against the ongoing violence”, was organised by Samprodayikota-Jongibad Birodhi Mancha, a pro-liberation organisation, in the capital's Liberation War Museum in the afternoon.
The mancha Convener Ajoy Roy began the discussion with a question on whether it was possible to save democracy by keeping in politics Jamaat-e-Islami, which was involved in mass killings during the 1971 Liberation War.
Terming Jamaat “a sneaky and powerful organisation”, Akash said Jamaat, as part of its political strategy to remain in politics, was using BNP and that peaceful unity was not possible as long as BNP was allied with Jamaat.
Citing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's December 19 statement, he said her “promise that the 10th parliament will be temporary” if BNP severed ties with Jamaat was, to him, a small beam of light at the end of a dark tunnel of political instability.
Hasina that day had not specified the tenure of the 10th parliament but stated that a fresh election will be held if an understanding is reached.
The museum Trustee Sarwar Ali, however, said he saw no hope as the political violence surpassed all bounds.
Columnist Salimullah Khan observed that a level playing field for all, irrespective of cast, religion and status, to practice democracy will bring real peace.
Reading out a concept paper, the mancha Member Secretary Dr Nur Mohammad Talukdar said people who nurtured the Liberation War's spirit should forget their differences and become active in resisting anti-liberation elements.