THE BNP has graciously agreed to go back to the Jatiyo Sangsad. It is with huge gratitude and much happiness that we the people congratulate the party on taking such a constructive step in the interest of the people, meaning ourselves. That the opposition has deigned to be back in the House is cheering news. Think of the opposite that might have happened. If it had opted to remain out of parliament and instead continued to wage a pointless battle with the authorities on the streets, could we have done anything about it? We elected the BNP’s figures to parliament, as we did everyone belonging to the other parties represented in the JS. Then the BNP, depressed at losing power, thought it was a far wiser thing to boycott parliament than be part of a process where it had little or no power.

But, yes, every time the ninety-day deadline about retaining or foregoing parliamentary membership comes around, the opposition tells us, with a straight face, that it is going back to the JS. And indeed it does that. Its lawmakers place their signatures in the attendance register, begin the process of a new ninety-day absence period afresh, and then walk out — to call for more agitation on the streets. These MPs get their salaries and all other benefits; they visit their constituencies and devise newer ways of waging running battles with the ruling party; and then they make their way back to the city — to make sure that our children cannot go to classes because of hartals, to ensure that the economy goes on haemorrhaging, to persuade us into believing that what we have is faux democracy.

But let us not go quibbling over the past. This absence culture will be there for a long time yet. And how do we get out of this bind? Simple. Make sure that the winning party at the elections gets all the seats in parliament. One-party rule? Tch! Tch!

Perish the thought. See? The BNP wallahs are coming back. Will they stay there?

The writer is Executive Editor at The Daily Star.