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It is our belief that the Prime Minister's speech should contain offers that it will be politically unpopular for' the opposition to refuse. Looking back, the offers that BNP made .to the opposition from time to time, over last tWo years, and consider them as a complete package, theg are not insubstantial None of those offers worked because they came in small doses, over a long period of time, and as such failed to convince the agitating opposition and the public that supported them. As we said earlier, and many times in these columns and editorials, they were always Too little, too late".

Some in BNP will say. the offers failed because the opposition was insincere, and never wanted a settlement. While it. may be valid for a small but powerful section, but for the mainstream opposition, it Is notitnie. Leaving the opposition aside, why BNP's offers never proved sufficient to win over the considerable section of the public who. regardless of party affiliation and personal belief, felt more comfortable with a neutral mechanism, handling elections rather than a party government. Jhe flaw, therefore, was both in the content of the offers and the staggered timing of them. And it is with that experience behind us. that we urge the PM to make such offers In the speech this evening that will meet the need of the hour.

And what Is the NEED of the HOUR?

First, to realise that BNP's government stands greatly weakened after the elections of 15 February ’96 than it ever was before. It was a Pyrrhic victory, if ever there was one. What the Prime Minister is being mistakenly led to believe to be her ’victory’ stands out as her most unabashed attempt to twist the electoral process to continue in power. This Begum Zia may find difficult to digest, but it is the truth. And the faster she accepts It the better it is for all. Just one example should s. 'nee. Before 15 February Begum Zia was the

unquestioned elected leader of the country. After that fateful Thursday she is 'victorious' in an election that NOT A SINGLE body, both nationally and internationally, save her own party ( and that also publicly, and not privately) endorses. From an unassailable position Begum Zia has come down to a highly controversial, if not a totally unacceptable, one. Even in the best of times, will anybody anywhere accept the verdict of an election in which the ruling party gets 206 out of 208 election results declared?

There is a qualitative difference between the government that followed '91 elections, and anything that can come out of the one held last February. However unpalatable this may appear to be, the bitter pill of this realisation must be swallowed by the BNP. Lack of recognition of this fundamental fact Will amount to a politi-.cal'blunder that comes not so much from inaptitude, but a supreme arrogance and deep seated disdain for the people, bringing further political chaos and social disharmony.

Second, the country's economy is on the verge of collapse. and that whatever has Abeen achieved .over the last 25 years of our independence, including the impressive macro-economic stability during the BNP government, stands fundamentally threatened. Entrepreneurs and people In general are tired of the continuing crisis and are blaming the government for not doing enough to solve it. It may sound unfair, but being in power — in the driving seat, so to speak— that is how it Is. Mass psychology works like that, whether one likes it or ' not. Just as there are advantages in being in power, so also there are some disadvantages. This is one of them.

Third, a fundamental change has occurred in the political scene after the arrest of the political leaders and. evep more so after the incidents in Chittagong. Narayan-ganj and some other places in the country. These have been viewed as repressh-e nets hv a government who1': . " •

rule, alter 21 February. is highly questionable at best, and non-existent at worst. The current government may have a legal body, but it lacks a democratic soul. And we know what a body without a soul is like. BNP.'and Begum Zia personally. will be making their biggest mistake if they fail to understand the qualitative change in the status of their 'legitimacy' in the public eye. Please do not make the fatal mistake of thinking that this view is held by the opposition alone-

Under the above political circumstances the Prime Minister will address the nation with a view to solving the political crisis. It is our view that her offer to the opposition, if it at all comes, should have two distinct categories:

a) First category of offers should be geared towards creating the environment for talks. Tnis should Include the following unilateral actions:

1) Immediate release of all political leaders;

11) Declaration to hold gen eral elections within the shortest possible time (period being determined only by the logistics of holding one).

ill) Acceptance of a care taker government to hold that election.

b) Second category of offers should include invitations to talks:

'tf-d . , •

inent. and preparation of the Constitutional Amendment Bill:

(In fact the Bill may take a far reaching view of the whole election process and go in for fundamental reforms of every aspect of it. Here Begum Zia can take on her PROACTIVE role and go for a radical transformation of our election process. so much so that our formula can serve as a model for elections in nascent democracies all over the world).

ii> Exact date and time for general elections:

Hi) Updating electoral rolls, electoral reforms, restructuring the EC. etc.

Iv) Reform in election funding process and code of conduct for political parties participating in elections.

1 can Visualise a Durry of actions to dissuade Begum Zia from going in this direction. The arguments against the above suggestions will be that: a) It will appear to be capitulating io the opposition; b) It will rob BNP of all negotiating options: c) it will encourage opposition to demand more

The tear of appearing to be capitulating to the opposition has been haunting BNP all through. Many of thgir inflexible positions were actually based on this fear' rather than any substantive difference with (he opposition views The question Is where her looking tough brought the ruling

the type of speech as suggested above, it will appear PROACTIVE, rather than reactive. She will get credit lor putting the interest of the country above that of the party, and greatly benefit from a swing in public opinion. BNP Will look as a party genuinely' trying to solve the political crisis. Instead of appearing to capitulate’. Begum Zia will appear to be challenging the opposition to also rise up above partisan politics for national interest. As for negotiating options, BNP will need none as everything will have been laid before the public, who then will see who is working for the nation and who against.

All the points of our suggestion have been more or less agreed to by the PM. Indirectly she has conceeded to them all. What we lack Is her putting it together and announcing it. With a dramatic speech of the PM like the one we suggest, the opposition will be forced to reconsider its plans for non-cooperation. and come to the dialogue, if they don’t BNP can go to the people and gain their goodwill. But without making

the type of radical offers as we sueuest. BNP will appear insincere and the opposition will continue to be able to carry significant segments of the public with them, as they are doing now.

We urge Begum Zia to look at the present in a 20 to 30 year perspective. Looking back, her action of today will stand out as a farsighted and bold move for reconciliation that brought peace, harmony and. hopefully, prosperity to a divided and demoralised nation. On the 26th of this month we enter the 25th anniversary of our Independence. With what confidence, hope and vision of the future will we celebrate this auspicious Occasion? Please give us this gift of harmony aiid reconciliation to mark this occasion.

I end with a note of caution for our readers. We may prove to be totally wrong. The PM anti those encircled in power m.iy be thinking in a totally ■ liflerent direction. If that be the case then we might get a radically different gilt for our 25tli .numersary.