Dhaka – Stating that the President and the Prime Minister gave different statements over dialogue with political parties, BNP on Wednesday doubted whether there is going a cool relationship between the Bangabhaban and the government.
“The President has said political parties should engage in dialogue. We would like to clearly say we want an environment to be created in the country through dialogue among the political parties. Our leader (Khaleda Zia) said it earlier. But unfortunately the Prime Minister has turned down it,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He said this at a discussion arranged by BNP at Mohanagar Natyamancha marking the 81st birth anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Fakhrul further said, “We don’t know where the President’s relation with the government has gone sour. We don’t want to say it. Had the President sincerely advocated for dialogue he had spoken the truth as the country’s people wanted current political crisis to be resolved through talks.”
President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday urged all the political parties to hold talks among themselves for having a credible general election in the country.
There is no alternative to having a neutral election commission for democracy, and all political parties along with the government should come forward and play a strong role in holding a fair general election, he said during meetings with the delegations of Khelafat Majlish and Jamiat-e-Ulama e Islam Bangladesh at Bangabhaban.
President Abdul Hamid initiated talks with political parties on December 18 over formation of the new Election Commission (EC) as the tenure of the current Commission expires in February next. It ended today after talks with major political parties.
Fakhrul said when the President invited them to a dialogue they got a little bit surprised as the Awami League had turned down their chairperson’s proposal on EC and a call for dialogue among political parties.
“We don’t know whether there’s any bad game behind the President’s initiative for talks as he did it amid Awami League’s opposition. But, we want to believe that the President took the initiative sincerely. We hope he’ll form a neutral search committee which will constitute an impartial Election Commission,” he said.
The BNP leader also warned that the country’s people will never accept if a spineless and subservient EC is formed again.
Fakhrul called upon all political parties and people from all strata to forge a national consensus to ‘restore’ democracy, the rule of law, and people’s all snatched rights, including voting one, and install a pro-people government.
BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Nazrul Islam Khan, vice chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Hafizuddin Ahmed and Selima Rahman, among others, spoke at the programme. -UNB
