We deplore the failure by Khaleda Zia to pay more attention to the massive disruption and damage being inflicted on education in the country.
The claims and counter-claims being made in response to BNP leader Khaleda Zia’s speech on Friday, are sadly predictable. After 10 weeks of violence caused by nationwide blockades and strikes, the arguments on all sides of the political deadlock are familiar to all.
New thinking is needed by both the government and the BNP alliance to bring about the positive steps and constructive dialogue which the country sorely needs to end the political crisis.
In a week in which the Secondary School Certificate examinations for March 3 and 4 have once again been postponed because of hartals and blockades, Khaleda Zia should have expressly addressed the issue of most concern to parents and schoolchildren across the nation.
Over1.5 million students are taking part in the SSC and equivalent exams this year. They face huge added stress as their teachers and schools struggle to function in an atmosphere where the risk of political violence costing further lives is too severe to fully guarantee keeping schools and exam centres open and safe for children.
There is no acceptable excuse for disrupting children’s education.
While both the BNP and government have a duty to pursue dialogue to end the dispute, the BNP needs to explain to the public why it it is persisting with a policy that is repeatedly disrupting important school exams.