Modern times : Smokey scenes in Bangladesh 2

Are we actually going to have any elections on 18th december? This question mark is my personal and also many others reaction after the final decision by the Government today. After the end of B.N.P.'s 48 hours ultimatum the Government failed to bring two major alliances in any agreement. Although some other parties inside B.N.P. led four party alliance like Jamayat-e-Islami wanted the elections on 18th december till last week, B.N.P. has taken hard line about the schedule. There was an offer from the Government to B.N.P. to switch the election date to 28 december, which had been also opposed. On the other hand Awami League led 14 Party alliance and also the socalled greater alliance which was formed at the end of december 2006, wants the elections to be held on the fixed date at any cost.

One would find these news on newspapers, radio and tv channels. But what actually or wheather there are something else behind the cartain brings the anxiety to the people. If Emergency is withdrown before the last date of nomination paper submissions, those who have been punished by the law would be unable to join the election. If after the submission then the well known criminal faces will return, in fact many of them are already there and waiting for others to come out of jail soon. The present Government had taken hard lines against corruptions and terrorism at the very beginging. Then in last two years one can see a regular decrease in their degree of interests to do something in deed. There were big chaos before they came on 11/01/07. There was also an election shedule and the alliances were fighting almost everyday on the street. At that time B.N.P. led alliance wanted the election badly, with their manipulated voterlist, which could have been emended before the end of their time in Government till 28 October 2006. We have seen plenty of discussions between these two parties only any sort of initiatives were absent. It seemed to a silent observer like me that the socalled indirect military takeover on 11th of january 2007 had been planed by both of the parties during those lengthy and meaningless discussions. There are some similarities in the present situation. The parliament elections had to be held two years before. If we do not have any elections in december then comes the question that I asked at the begining of this post.

Like Rezwan Islam I am also worried.