Emergency goes

WE heartily welcome the lifting of the state of emergency from today, which actually fulfills the last major precondition for a smooth, participatory return to a democratic order. We expect the political parties to think likewise, as they have been consistent and relentless in demanding the withdrawal of the state of emergency. It has set the stage for the political parties' spontaneous participation in the December 29 parliamentary elections, without any demur and hesitancy.
The lifting of the state of emergency should finally end all speculations regarding the caretaker government's position vis-à-vis the elections and it has come just after the nation celebrated the Victory Day, so we can really feel an aura of auspiciousness in the coincidence.
The issue of spontaneity seems to be relevant to us, because none other than Begum Khaleda Zia, the BNP chief, is talking of the elections being engineered to bring a certain party to power. Such allegations or discordant note can hardly add to the congeniality of the electoral atmospherics. We would like to believe that conspiracy theories, often degenerating into scare-mongering, will be proved wrong, and the "shockers" will pass off as election gimmicks.
What the political parties cannot overlook at this point in time is that it is now their turn to show a high degree of responsibility and maturity by way of responding to the people's yearning for transfer of power to a democratically elected representative government. Now that the parties are firmly settled in the election groove, they should play their part in steering the nation to its cherished goal for attaining a truly democratic order.
The comment we would like to make on the emergency period centres around denial of bail which hampered dispensation of justice. Needless to say, right to bail is a fundamental underpinning of the justice system. Initially, some restrictions were placed on the press, particularly the electronic media. But over the months these were relaxed.
All said and done, the journey along the road to democracy needs to be embarked upon with unflinching commitment to the wellbeing of the state and its people.