Welcoming the BNP’s decision to rollout a framework on election-time government, leaders of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance on Tuesday urged the opposition party to place it in the upcoming parliament session. Even of late, the good sense prevailed upon the opposition leaders and discussions can be held on the framework of polls-time government in parliament, and even there is a scope to hold dialogue outside parliament, they said. The ruling alliance leaders said this while briefing after its meeting at Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi office. Awami League advisory council member and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta presided over the meeting. At the briefing, 14-party coordinator and AL presidium member Mohammad Nasim said, “BNP has failed to wage a movement. It’s time to prepare for election, not for carrying out a movement. They can put forward their proposal in parliament… there’s no objection to it.” Nasim said the anti-liberation forces and some opportunists got united behind Khaleda Zia to annihilate country’s democracy. He also said the meeting agreed to extend the alliance with the pro-liberation political parties. Nasim, also the former Home Minister, said the alliance partners at the meeting underscored the need for completion of the trial of war crimes as early as possible. He said the 14-party will undertake programmes together to drum up public support in favour of the alliance ahead of the next parliamentary polls. At the briefing, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon said, “We’ll welcome BNP if they take part in dialogue. They can also talk about their demand in parliament and outside of it.” Suranjit Sengupta said, “Yesterday (Monday) we came to realise that BNP has backtracked from its position on caretaker government system.” On Monday, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that BNP will come up soon with a framework of a polls-time interim government. The meeting also condemned attack on Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President and Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu by two youths in London. Fourteen-party leaders Dilip Barua, Anisur Rahman Mallick, Sharif Nurul Ambia, Nurur Rahman Selim, Abdus Samad, Enamul Haque and Asit Baran Roy were, among others, present. – UNB
