THE two presidential nominees, Sen. John McCain and Barack Obama, made the ground-zero their common ground, free of politics and infused with memory as the 9/11 attacks remain a deeply emotional issue in the United States, even if polls show that pocketbook concerns, particularly the parlous state of the housing market, now top terrorism fears.
Gettinng together to bring peace for all is a noble endeavour. In most countries, parties largely concern themselves with how to allocate power and to what end it should be used. Very few political parties follow country first, politics second.
It means that if something isn't noble don't do it. It means doing something for the good of the country, not just for the candidate. It means being a servant of the country and someone for the people.
Negative political rhetoric will only serve to drive the people further apart at a time when everyone needs to be working together. Too many in Dhaka are putting politics first and country second. Too few are setting aside their own interests to work together on solutions for Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina carried on political attacks instead of talking about the policies that could make the country better. Instead of finding common ground among diverse views, she criticised the caretaker government (CTG) and the BNP-Jamaat regime in her address to AL's US chapter leaders in New York City on September 14.
According to her, the CTG was now busy making the corrupt clean. The government has made things worse by not taking necessary actions against widespread corruption, looting, and killings by the BNP-Jamaat regime, she added.
The people of Bangladesh are aware of politicians who attack personality rather than examining and debating other politicians' policy proposal. They will fight for the plan Sheikh Hasina promised if her party won the next elections.
Because of the diverse beliefs and opinions in politics, politicians should build support for an idea, convince other people of its merits, and accommodate others' points of view without undermining their core goals, and, ultimately, find the points of agreement that will allow them to forge consensus.
Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia should sit together in the interest of the country and democracy. Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said: "Major political parties are expected to show tolerance, shunning the practice of mudslinging in the interest of democracy and the nation." He and adviser Hassan Ariff, asked Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, who defends both former prime ministers in court, to try to bring them to a discussion table.
Most of the political leaders and activists reacted positively to the government's attempt to bring the two top leaders for a dialogue, while AL acting chief Zillur Rahman questioned the CTG's motive behind the attempt and said that it was unecessary.
Bangladesh needs a leader who does not mind stepping on toes to get the job done. Now is the time that future generations will look back to and say, this is when Bangladesh started working again. Now is the time when political parties need to return to the basic democratic ideals and values.
Politicians don't need to find common ground among themselves on every single issue, but to find those areas on which common ground can be found. They should put emphasis on the potential for cooperation rather stifling the competition.
People believe that political parties should exist for the convenience of like-minded people working together to promote candidates. In legislatures, their function should be to help like-minded members work together for goals they have in common.
The notion of intra-part democracy has caught the attention of democratic activists and practitioners. Internal party democracy is a desirable and necessary set of organisational practices that parties should adopt in order to meet the expectations of their members and supporters as well as the broader public for greater inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability.
Should politicians have a retirement age so that more youth can be accommodated and empowered to take up leadership? Youth will bring in energy and fresh blood to politics and senior leaders will bring in vast experience in the executive, legislature and other areas to strengthen the party and create a talent pool for the next generation.
It was a good thing that Begum Khaleda Zia declined the offer to be chairperson of the BNP for life to show her respect for democratic norms. Like her, other political leaders should be aware of democratic norms.
Beautiful words cannot make lives better, but a person who always puts country and people above himself and above politics, and who understands the minds of the people, can. Although Bangladesh is now at a critical political juncture, the people still have faith and hope and want to say like John Fitzgerald Kennedy: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New York. Email:[email protected]