WE have been observing with deep concern for the last few days the spate of vandalism, mayhem and anarchy on the streets. The opposition-called blockade and hartal and counteracting of those by the pro-government activists have made politics extremely violent. In other words, the excesses from both the opposition and the ruling parties are leading to highly explosive and violent consequences.

Let there be no mistake that the route you are taking has repeatedly proven not only counterproductive but also inducing increasingly hard-line positioning by the parties. By taking such a stance the opposition could neither oust the ruling party from power, nor could it realise its demands peacefully.

The rising trend of violence has led to deaths of innocent pedestrians, damage to private and public property, harm to business and suffering of the working people. And by disrupting smooth movement of goods and services, hartal and blockade have only pushed up prices of essentials thereby making life harder for common people.

The government, on the other hand, came down hard on the opposition. Particular mention may be made of the arrest of acting secretary general of the BNP on charge of smashing a city corporation-owned truck carrying garbage! The very suggestion of a senior political leader doing such an act is simply incomprehensible. If anything, it only points to the new low that the political culture has hit.

Faced with such a situation, we would call upon either side to shun the path of street confrontation. Otherwise they seem to be headed for reverting to the dreadful consequence like that of2006.

We urge that you hold back, take a pause and ponder over the consequence of what you have been doing and settle for talks to thrash out the interim caretaker dispute to the satisfaction of both the sides. This will have the benefits of saving the economy, sustaining development and not subjecting the people to punishing programmes of which they have had enough.