The two sides must carry out negotiations

Md Touhid Hossain

Elections are still six months away. I don't believe the two sides have already gone into a deadlock. What the two parties are saying so far, I consider them as posturing. It may continue for some more days. The two sides have to sit together at the final stage. There must be a negotiation, be it open or secret. It is my assumption.

There are pressures from abroad and it may intensify in the coming days. The final decision may come in the aftermath of the pressures. However, the decision will ultimately be made by the politicians of Bangladesh.

When you make a decision under pressure, it is still yours. There must be a negotiation, be it open or secret. No crisis can last forever.

I am a very optimistic person, and I believe that there will be a way out through dialogue. It may come in the face of the mounting pressure. Let there be something good. I don't think that there will be a way out from both sides’ goodwill and sacrifice. Rather, different types of pressure may create an environment where they will finally sit together and reach a decision.

The United Nations, the European Union (EU), or the US delegation – whoever is coming – have been making positive comments in public. It is a diplomatic norm to speak positively. They said they would not directly interfere in the internal affairs of Bangladesh, rather Bangladesh itself will take its decision. They only want a fair election here.

Is it necessary for them to come here in a group and say this? I believe they did not come merely to say this. They said more than what they are saying openly. I don't know where and to whom they said it, but I assume they said some more words and that is the main part.

We are yet to see any significant step that may put an end to the ongoing crisis. Eventually, there should be some steps to resolve the crisis. This crisis cannot last forever. I don't think there will be a one-sided election this time, just like in 2018 or 2014.

So, there must be a negotiation, and we will continue to consider it a crisis until a solution is found.