Bikalpadhara Bangladesh president Prof Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and
secretary general Maj (Retd) Abdul Mannan on Saturday called upon the
Prime Minister to release the senior BNP leaders and initiate talks
with opposition leaders to dissolve the political impasse.
The Bikalpadhara leaders made the call in a joint statement a day
after the arrest of three senior BNP leaders, chairperson’s adviser
and her personal assistant.
“The arrest of opposition leaders is not conducive for the country’s
democracy and the forthcoming general elections at all…It is not
proved the sincerity of the government’s willingness about the polls,”
said the statement.
They condemned the government decision and questioned as to whether
the Prime Minister’s invitation to opposition leader for a dinner was
farcical.
The Bikalpadhara leaders said the Prime Minister should release the
opposition leaders immediately to create an environment for the
election.
“We think the Prime Minister will try to resolve the political crisis
by inviting the opposition leader for talks. It will not be wise to
waste time for a movement,” the statement added.
The president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Muzahidul Islam
Selim said on Saturday that the arrest of the senior BNP leaders
reflected a blueprint of the government to stage one-sided election by
keeping them in jail and avoiding the path of political conciliation.
Addressing a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar he asked, why the
government was not arresting leaders of Jamaat and Hifazat-e-Islam.
In another statement Zubaida Quader Chowdhury and Atiqul Islam, acting
president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Muslim League
protested the arrested BNP leaders and demanded their immediate
release with a view to creating atmosphere for election.
