Oikyafront leaders had meeting before dialogue

Before going to join talks at Gonobhaban with 14-Party leaders, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Jatiya Oikyafront leaders sat in a meeting at its chief Dr Kamal Hossain’s residence on Thursday afternoon to decide the points of discussions and other important issues.

“The meeting began around 4:45pm,” Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) general secretary Abul Malek Ratan Nagorik Oikya convener and the Oikyafront leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna told UNB.He said they will discuss various issues to make the talks a success.

The country’s two major ruling and opposition alliances are set to sit in the much-sought dialogue at Ganobhaban in the evening in a bid to reach a consensus over holding the next general election in a fair and credible manner with the participation of all parties.

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead a 22-member 14-party delegation while Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain the 21-member Jatiya Oikyafront team in the discussion to be held at 7pm.

A Gono Forum leader said they sent the names of five more delegation members, –BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeem Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Gano Forum presidium members Mokabbir Khan, Jaglul Haider Afrik and AHM Shafiq Ullah— to Awami League raising the total delegation members to 21 from 16.

Ratan said the delegation members will set out for Ganobhaban around 5:45pm from Kamal Hossain’s residence.On October 13, BNP together with Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, JSD and Nagorik Oikya launched the Jatiy Oikyafront to press for their seven-point demand.

The Oikyafront’s seven-point charter of demands include installation of a neutral interim government, dissolution of parliament, reconstitution the Election Commission, release of all the political prisoners, deployment of army and cancellation of the move to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMS) for holding the next polls in fair and acceptable manner.

source: UNB