Reza Mahmud :
Forging all political parties’ national unity to tackle the growing militancy and terrorism, is still a far cry as the two major political parties-ruling Awami League (AL) and BNP are engaged in mudslinging and blame game over the issue.
Instead of taking an effective initiative, both the AL and BNP are accusing each other of encouraging militancy and terrorism, frustrating peace-loving people in the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a press conference on Sunday said a national consensus has been created among the people of the country against terrorism and extreme violence, except those who have linked with militancy and terrorism and have records of war crime and burning people alive. On Monday BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan at a press briefing termed Prime Minister’s statement over the national unity as frustrating and disappointment for the people.
“When the whole nation is waiting for a call from the government’s side, the PM ignored it. She (Sheikh Hasina) said the unity has already been created. How she could make such remarks that the AL-led 14 -party alliances’ unity is a national unity?” he said.
Earlier, BNP Chairperson called for a national unity forgetting all divisions to face the country’s serious crisis. The party alleged that the ruling party is tagging various conditions, as it is not sincere to forge a national unity to tackle the growing militancy and terrorism.
However, the civil society members asked the political parties to stop mudslinging and blame game instead of going into facts and finding the real perpetrators.
They expressed anxiety over mudslinging and blame game, saying such statements will encourage the militants to become more active.
When contacted Badiul Alam Majumdar, the Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJON) said as the ruling AL and BNP are differing greatly in their stances over the burning issue, it is very difficult to find a way out to overcome the crisis.
“Based on political ideology, as a nation we are already divided. Political consensus is a must to fight against the militancy and terrorism. And it is the political parties’ duty to solve the problem unitedly,” he told The New Nation on Monday.
Talking to The New Nation on Monday Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, another BNP standing committee member, said the government should come forward and urge the all parties’ leaders including BNP to hold on talks that how and in what way the militancy and the terrorism can be defeated from the country.
“It is a big challenge for the government to sit with BNP and other political parties,” he said.
Goyeshwar Roy also said after the deadly terror attacks in city’s Gulshan café and Sholakia, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is continuing her call for national unity.
When contacted AL Advisory Council Member Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun termed his party president Sheikh Hasina’s remark on national unity as true.
“As we all people in the country have already been united against the extremism and terrorism, she (Sheikh Hasina) is right in her statement,” he said, adding however, no single platform has been formed in this regard yet.
“As BNP is claiming that only the government’s departure will help to stop the terror attacks. It does mean the party does not want national unity,” he said,
Meanwhile, when contacted the Jatiyo Party Co-Chairman G M Quader said that at first government will have to take the initiative to hold talk for national unity.
“I think the government should take initiative to forge a national unity. If the government thinks that the unity has already been created, there is no unity,” he said.
