Will sanity prevail?

We have editorialized on the current plight of the country many times since the beginning of the month when the nation was revisited by the trauma of blockade and hartal. And we will do so till the two leaders get down from their high horse and, for the sake of the nation, bring to an end the unbearable state we are in.

It is just not on that our political leaders would allow public sufferings to continue, all in the name of the people. We wonder whether the big two parties hear the voices from the streets. Why should the poor pay for what they think is the  fight for power between the AL and BNP -- one to go to power at any cost and the other to hold on to it, come what may.     

We would like to forcefully reiterate the call by newspaper editors that the violence must stop and there must be dialogue to end the impasse. The commerce minister has acknowledged that impasse exists but we do not think that those in the government who talk about solution-in-a-week actually comprehend the seriousness of the situation.   

We would want the government to address the issue of violence and bring it to an end immediately. But that must also be followed up by substantive action to resolve the underlying political issue that is the root cause of the flux we are in today. The BNP for its part must not forget that by perpetrating violence it is people's sympathy to their cause that they are losing, and losing fast.