Bangladesh News

Awami League (AL) yesterday asked the government to come up with a formal proposal for dialogue and its agenda.

Describing an adviser’s calling one of its leaders for talks as personal, a meeting of the AL Presidium, the highest policy-making body, also decided that they would discuss the issue only after getting an invitation from the interim government.

AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, “We are waiting for an official invitation. On receiving one, we will take decision at the party forum over the dialogue and finalise our agenda.”

He was talking to reporters after the meeting at party’s acting president Zillur Rahman’s Gulshan residence.

Recently, Health Adviser MM Shawkat Ali made a phone call to AL Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury to know the organisation’s position.

Sources said most of the senior leaders were reluctant to talk about the issue before receiving a formal invitation.

Chaired by Zillur Rahman, the meeting discussed the electoral roadmap, state of emergency, price hike of essentials, detention of Dhaka University teachers and students, fertiliser crisis and unrest in garment factories.

Syed Ashraf said they believe the election could be held much earlier than the time stipulated in the Election Commission’s roadmap.

Queried if they would participate in the election with the state of emergency still in force, he said the state of emergency would be an obstacle to conduct of a free and fair election. “First, let the government announce a schedule for the election,” he added.

About release of detained DU teachers and students, the meeting expressed concern that untoward incidents might take place over the issue.

It also decided that AL would not join any dialogue in presence of Jamaat-e-Islami. Ashraf said they want the proposed dialogue between the political parties and the government to be held separately.

Talking to The Daily Star, Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta said they have been calling for the government to open discussion with the political parties for the last one year, but it did not show any interest then.

“We want talks with the government so that the election is held quickly. But the government must take the initiative to that end,” he said.

Presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and Motia Chowdhury attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, addressing a function before the meeting, Zillur Rahman said his party does not believe in transfer of power at gunpoint, coup or revolution.

“A free and fair election is the only way to hand over power and that is why we have accepted the electoral roadmap without question,” he said while receiving donation to the party’s relief fund from Kishoreganj district unit leaders.

On lifting of the state of emergency, Zillur said the chief adviser and the army chief have assured the nation that the emergency would go, but there is no tangible measure in sight. “We don’t know what awaits us.”

Referring to soaring prices of essentials, he said there is no respite for the people from hardship. The problems confronting the countrymen could be resolved only by a democratically elected government.