AL to place 31-point reform proposals

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Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil will place 31-point electoral reform proposals at the beginning of the much-awaited dialogue with the ruling BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, sources said.

“We are awaiting government response to our proposals from the BNP secretary general at the talks,” said a senior AL leader, asked about the party strategy at the one-to-one dialogue over reforms in the caretaker government system, Election Commission and electoral laws.

The leader said the government’s response will make it clear whether they are sincere to make the dialogue a success or agreed to hold it only to kill time before handing over power to caretaker government after its tenure ends on October 27.

“We don’t want to make the dialogue a lengthy process, rather want a quick outcome,” he asserted seeking anonymity.

Meanwhile, in last minute preparations for the talks, the AL yesterday set its strategies after separate meetings of senior leaders of the party and its allies in the 14-party combine.

Leader of the Opposition and AL chief Sheikh Hasina last night chaired an emergency meeting of the party presidium, the highest policy making body of the party.

At the meeting, the leaders said they would not compromise on a number of points that include reservations about Justice KM Hasan as caretaker government chief and MA Aziz as chief election commissioner.

The meeting reiterated that to realise the reform demands, the opposition would continue its street agitation along with the talks.

Sources said the AL general secretary was asked to justify the opposition reform agenda with arguments and logic. “We will prove it at the talks that meeting our demands is a must in the interest of a free and fair election,” said a top AL leader.

Abdul Jalil, also coordinator of the 14-party combine, yesterday said he will join the dialogue with an open mind and is very much hopeful about its outcome.

Some sources said the opposition might compromise on some of its proposals at the dialogue but will stick to its objections regarding Justice Hasan, MA Aziz and three election commissioners, and demands for updating the voter roll with photographs of voters and using transparent ballot boxes.

Another major point on which the AL will not comprise is redefining the law enforcement agencies and scrapping of magistracy powers given to the law enforcers and the armed forces members by the previous caretaker government.

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