The government and BNP alliance must engage in dialog to bring a long term resolution to the deadlock underlying the political violence of the last two months.
On its own, the litigation brought by the FBCCI, BGMEA,BKMEA, and BTMA to make the ongoing blockade and hartals illegal, is not enough to provide the long-term political solution the country needs.
Scores of people have been killed and over a thousand injured as a result of political violence. The economic damage inflicted is huge even without taking into account the opportunity costs caused by continuing political uncertainty.
Realistically, we can only expect political dialog and solutions to remove the political roots of this crisis.
Nonetheless, the petition brought by the business bodies raises important questions, and it is important that the government and political parties answer the questions being asked of them by the High Court’s ruling on this case.
It is clear that there can be no tolerance of vandalism and violence. The culture of coercion and intimidation that accompanies calls for strikes and blockades and frequently leads to violence, has to end. Participation in political protests must be purely voluntary. Businesses and citizens need to be freed from fear of violence if they choose to ignore calls for strikes.
Finding ways to hold parties liable for losses caused by political disputes may help address this in the long term.
But what is needed most urgently is dialog to end the violence and ensure a settlement that brings long term stability.