WE welcome the announcement by the caretaker government that it will lilt the state of emergency on December 17 and allow unfettered public rallies with effect from today as a prelude to the holding of a free, fair and transparent general election on December 29. Indeed, it is a proper and fitting response to the demands voiced in recent weeks and months by the political parties as well as members of civil society for a withdrawal of the state of emergency in die interest of a full and enthusiastic participation of all citizens in the electoral exercise. The decisions reflect the general expectation that political activities will be conducted in a peaceful and purposeful manner by all political parties. That will entail an observance of the electoral code of conduct in its letter and spirit by all parties and candidates. We are constrained to say, however, that there have been instances where intending nominees at the election have violated the code of conduct. That should not have happened and we hope such acts will not be repeated.

Now that die emergency is about to be lifted, it remains the hope of die nation that die political atmosphere will not be undermined or the political course will not be blocked or slowed down by any niggling issues on the part of any of the stakeholders. With the country keenly awaiting the return of democratic, albeit honest and so incorruptible government, it is important that the parties now go full steam ahead into the campaign and present their plans and programmes to die public. Unlike the past, where campaigning was fundamentally marred by negativism — and this was done by all parties involved --- we believe diat the coming election is a chance for the parties to demonstrate their readiness for a clean break with the past. They can demonstrate this new oudook through making it a point to focus on their own manifestoes and offer them to die electorate rather than indulge in innuendo and insinuation against one another. Since politics is the art of the possible, the parties should remember that while they can be and in fact are adversaries in politics, there is surely litde need for them to deal with one another as implacable foes. Modern politics has litde time or space for myopia.

All said and done, it has to be pointed out that the kind of qualitative change people expected at the forthcoming election has not quite come about. Many individuals known for their bad deeds in the past already look set to take part in the election. We hope that despite such intimations of worry, the people will exercise their right of franchise judiciously and elect to parliament men and women of genuine, proven probity. Never before has Bangladesh been so much in need of honest politicians as it is today.