Bangladesh News

The caretaker government wants to finalise the nature and agenda of the proposed dialogue discussing with major political parties as it did not decide as of yesterday if all parties will be invited to the talks together or separately.

“We are yet to decide the format of the final dialogue,” Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader told reporters after a preparatory meeting with LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal and Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman at the housing and public works ministry.

As part of the ongoing “unofficial” pre-dialogue talks, four advisers sat with the leaders of Jatiyo Party (JP) at the city’s Railway Bhaban last night. At the meeting the JP conveyed its earlier decision that it would not join any dialogue if Jamaat-e-Islami and parties having war criminals or anti-liberation forces are present there.

To make the upcoming dialogue smooth and successful, a few advisers are holding regular talks among themselves and with political parties. To finalise the nature and agenda of the dialogue, they will also sit with parties including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami within a day or two. They will sit with top leaders of the AL for the second time.

Meanwhile, in a latest development last night, the AL decided not to hold any further talks–official or unofficial–with the government unless it receives any formal letter. The decision came at a meeting of the party’s Presidium meeting at acting President Zillur Rahman’s Gulshan residence.

Meeting sources told The Daily Star that the decision was taken following Monday’s informal meeting between five advisers and four AL leaders without the party’s knowledge of it.

The meeting was called following a phone call from the commerce adviser to party Presidium member Tofail Ahmed for a second round “unofficial” pre-dialogue talk.

“We are trying different ways to create a ground to make the dialogue a success,” said Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman after the meeting with the communications adviser and the LGRD adviser.

Zillur said they would first talk to major political parties to finalise the strategies and then with the small parties gradually.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday sought permission from jail authorities to meet detained party Chairperson Khaleda Zia to discuss the government proposal for the dialogue.

Party’s acting office secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi handed over Delwar’s letter to the superintendent of the special jail on the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises yesterday.

DIG (Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told The Daily Star that they would take necessary steps after reading the content of the letter.

Asked about the date of the formal dialogue, Adviser Ghulam Quader said the date is yet to be decided. Adviser Anwarul Iqbal said, “The chief adviser will announce the date.”

They said the informal talks with political parties will continue until fixing the schedule for formal dialogue.

“This kind of [preparatory] dialogue is very crucial for a successful dialogue to ensure a free and fair election. For this, we are meeting frequently,” the commerce adviser said, adding that at yesterday’s meeting they discussed different preparatory aspects of the dialogue.

TALKS WITH JP
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury, Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader, Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman and LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal sat with JP acting Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud, Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader, and presidium members GM Quader and Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu.

After the one-and-a-half-hour meeting, Anisul Islam told reporters that issues including how to hold a free and fair election, elect honest and competent candidates and govern the country efficiently after the election came up for discussion.

Supporting the government idea on holding local government polls before the parliamentary election, they urged the government to take effective measurers so that the pre-1/11 situation does not arise again.

Meeting sources said the JP leaders asked the advisers about the government position on lifting the state of emergency. The advisers told them that they would try for it but if it is not possible to lift the state of emergency, it would be relaxed.

DELWAR’S BRIEFING
“We cannot join any kind of talks without the consent of the party chairperson,” Delwar said at a press briefing at his Nam flat.

He said BNP will not hold any formal or informal talks with the government if he is not allowed to talk to Khaleda, which, he said, would make the talks fruitful.

Demanding parliamentary elections be held before December this year, he asked the government to lift the state of emergency and release Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.

People will not accept any “doctored” election in the country, he said, asking the caretaker government to hold a free, fair and acceptable election “without dillydallying” and hand over power to an elected government “as people do not want to see a non-elected government any more”.

Delwar accused the Election Commission (EC) of cheating and violating the constitution.

“It is not their [EC] task to hold the local government elections. The Election Commission wants [to hold the local government elections first] to delay the parliamentary election,” he said.

He held the government responsible for “creating” split in the BNP.

He said he would announce the next course of action of the party after consultation with party leaders.

Blasting the government for the ongoing food crisis, Delwar said the Monga-struck areas should be declared as “disaster prone” and emergency food relief should be arranged for these areas. He also demanded launching of rationing system for people.

HAFIZ’S BRIEFING
At a press briefing at his Banani residence yesterday Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, acting secretary general of the pro-Saifur faction of BNP, said they would join the dialogue without the permission of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia as she is in jail.

He, however, said if there is any instruction from the party chairperson, they will abide by that as they want to go to the dialogue as a united BNP.

Sources, meanwhile, said everything will be decided following today’s verdict of the writ petition filed by Khandaker Delwar against the EC decision of inviting Hafiz to the electoral dialogue.

About an adviser’s proposal to sit for a pre-dialogue meet, Hafiz said they are discussing the matter and will inform the adviser of their decision soon.

Hafiz said they will ask the government to announce the election date and suggest strengthening the food security and reducing prices of essentials.