Bangladesh News

The Awami League (AL) yesterday placed before the caretaker government a five-point demand including release of its chief Sheikh Hasina, measures for her treatment abroad and a specific date for the ninth parliamentary polls.

The party also demanded holding of the national election by December 31, controlling price hike of essentials immediately, lifting of the state of emergency and trial of war criminals.

The demands came up during an unofficial talk between seven AL leaders and five advisers to the caretaker government at the state guesthouse Meghna in the capital.

Assuring the AL leaders of holding the election by the end of this year, the advisers emphasised on improving the quality of the political process, culture and system to reach a national consensus through the official dialogue with political parties.

The AL suggested holding talks with political parties separately and demanded that the chief adviser be present there.

AL Presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury headed the seven-member AL delegation that had Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury and Syed Ashraful Islam.

The advisers present at the meeting were Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury, Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader, Education and Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman and LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal.

Earlier, these advisers also sat with four AL leaders at the Rail Bhaban in the first unofficial talk last Monday.

Yesterday’s meeting was held following an SMS invitation sent by Hossain Zillur Rahman to acting AL President Zillur Rahman.

Briefing newsmen after their meeting with the advisers, AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, “We have asked the government to hold bilateral dialogues with political parties and we told them that the chief adviser must be present at the official talks.”

Ashraf said they have also asked the advisers not to allow anyone else, including members of the civil society, at the official talks.

He said they suggested that the government hold the official dialogue at the office of the chief adviser but said they would not object if it is held at any state guesthouse.

The AL also asked the government to conclude the official dialogue within May, hoping that the formal dialogue would be fruitful.

It demanded that the national election be held before the local government elections and there must be a good will for establishing political rule.

Drawing the advisers’ attention to the fact that the judiciary has been separated but it has not become independent yet, the AL leaders demanded independence of the judiciary and judicial system.

The AL also demanded immediate release of all detained party leaders including General Secretary Abdul Jalil, Presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader and former home minister Mohammad Nasim.

“We have also asked the advisers to immediately release party leaders who have been kept detained for long without any specific charges,” said Ashraf.

“We told them that release of Sheikh Hasina and steps for her treatment abroad are important for creating the environment necessary for the dialogue,” he said.

He said the advisers admitted that the demands are logical. “They told us that they will discuss the issues at the advisory council and inform us of the outcome during the official talks,” Ashraf said.

ADVISER ZILLUR’S BRIEFING
Briefing reporters, Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said they discussed different issues with the AL in a free environment, both the parties emphasising on the need for creating “an air of confidence” for the dialogue.

“We also told them that it is necessary to uphold the legal process and ethical questions,” Zillur said.

“We hope the air of confidence will be created through the dialogue so that we can take the nation towards an effective and acceptable election,” he added.

On the AL demand for holding the election by this December 31, he said they assured the AL leadership that holding the election within this timeframe is their target.

“We have also put emphasis on another aspiration of the nation–to improve the quality of the political process, culture and system,” said the adviser, adding that the government has agreed to find out ways to that end to reach a consensus through the dialogue.

A few other minor issues including the modality and venue of the official dialogue were also discussed at the meeting. On the AL suggestion for holding bilateral dialogues with political parties, the commerce adviser said they do not have any alternative opinion on this matter.

Zillur said they will gradually sit in unofficial talks with other political parties and move towards the official dialogue as soon as possible.