Dhaka, Oct 31 – All eyes set on the much-talked-about dialogue between the ruling Awami League (AL) led 14-party alliance and major opposition BNP-led Jatiya Oikya Front scheduled to be held at Prime Minister’s official residence Gana Bhaban at 7:00 pm Thursday.AL president Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead the dialogue on behalf of the 14-party alliance while Gano Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain for Jatiya Oikya Front.
Jatiya Oikyafront has already sent a list of 16-member delegation and the AL yesterday named 22-member delegation of the 14-party alliance.
The dialogue is going to be held within less than one month of formation of Jatiya Oikyafront and couple of months ahead of the next national elections.
The Jatiya Oikyafront was forged on October 13 comprising the major opposition BNP, Gano Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Nagorik Oikya and Jatiya Oikya Prokriya. The BNP joined the Oikyafront keeping its 20-party alliance intake.
Speculations ripped in the minds of people and in the political arena as to whether the country’s leaders would be able to bring a solution to the prevailing political impasse centring holding the next general elections through much-hyped dialogue.
In her invitation letter, the Prime Minister mentioned that the door for dialogue on all issues within the purview of the constitution is open for the sake of continuing the hard-earned democracy.
The Oikya Front leaders, however, expressed their doubts over the outcome of the dialogue but they said they would place all issues whatever is necessary for the sake of holding a participatory and neutral election.
The leaders said they would focus on their seven-point demands and 11-point visions at the dialogue.
They hoped that if their demands are not implemented they would find an alternative way through the dialogue to ensure holding the 11th parliamentary elections in a free, fair and neutral manner.
Speaking at a function at Jatiya Press Club yesterday, Dr Kamal Hossain said they would take part in the dialogue with an open mind and hoped that the victory of the people would be achieved.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a human chain programme in front of Jatiya Press Club, however, said the dialogue won’t be successful keeping (party chairperson) Khaleda Zia in prison.
BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed said dialogue, movement and election to go together.
In a major political development, the Prime Minister on Tuesday sent a letter to the Jatiya Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain inviting him to sit for a dialogue with her at her official residence Ganabhaban.
The AL office secretary, Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, handed over the invitation letter to Kamal Hossain at his residence in the city on Tuesday.
Earlier on Sunday, Dr Kamal wrote a letter to the Prime Minister urging her to sit and discuss with them various issues over the 11th general election, in order to reach a political consensus for a free and fair election.
Being requested by AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, the Jatiya Oikyafront leader Gano Forum secretary general Mostafa Mohsin Montu on Tuesday sent a list of its 16-member delegation at AL chief’s political office at Dhanmondi.
The 14-party alliance leaders who will take part in the dialogue are Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (team leader), AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, advisers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, presidium members- Matiya Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammed Nasim,
Md Abdur Razzak, Kazi Zafrullah, Ramesh Chandra Roy, joint general secretaries- Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Dipu Moni, Abdur Rahman, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, publicity and publication secretary Hasan Mahmud, law affairs secretary SM Rezaul
Karim, law minister Anisul Haq, general secretary of Sammyabadi Dal Dilip Barua, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, Jsd president Hasanul Haque Inu and Jasad (another faction) president Moinuddin Khan Badal.
The AL earlier informed that 21 leaders would take part in the dialogue but later the ruling party extended the team members to 22.
The Oikyafront leaders who will participate in the dialogue are: Gano Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members- Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, and Barrister Zamiruddin Sircar, Mahmudur Rahman Manna and SM Akram of Nagorik Oikya, Mostafa
Mohsin Montu and Subrata Chowdhury of Gano Forum, ASM Abdur Rab, Abdul Malek Ratan and Tania Rab of JSD, Suntan Muhammed Mansur and ABM Mostafa Amin of Jatiya Oikya Prokriya and Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, independent.
AL joint general secretary Abdur Rahman said they are positive about the outcome of today’s talks.
He hoped that the opposition leaders won’t place any demand that goes beyond the Constitution. “We can’t go beyond the Constitution,” he added. – Staff Reporter
