I AM a septuagenarian non-resident Bangladeshi having a holiday flat and investments in Bangladesh and there is nothing I would like more than to spend in my sunset years some pleasurable time with my relatives and friends there, discussing arts, literature, sports and affairs close to our hearts.
However, in recent years, because of confrontational politics, continual hartals and disturbances, deterioration in law and order and safety and security of the common public, my wife and I have given up the idea of any sojourn there. Delegates of the European Union and many other foreign countries have also expressed their views about the detrimental effect on the nation of confrontational politics.
To diffuse such a situation I would beg the opposition to attend the Jatiya Sangsad sessions and move a motion to hold a referendum on the issue of caretaker government for national elections. The time for agitation by the opposition would come if the ruling party does not hold such a referendum, or there is evidence of referendum vote rigging. If the ruling party is so confident of their popularity and policy decisions, they should have no fear of such a referendum. The ruling party and the opposition must accept the verdict of the public in a fair referendum.
On important issues affecting the whole country (and not only one party), surely referendums are the way to diffuse confrontation and decide them in a democratic manner. All EU countries have such mechanisms in operation and Bangladesh should not have any objection to such a democratically fair procedure to decide important issues.
Shafi U Ahmed
London, UK