Pro-Khaleda men yet to see any sign of pre-dialogue parley

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Uncertainty looms large over pre-dialogue talks between the pro-Khaleda faction of BNP and a panel of advisers to the caretaker government as the schedule for the meeting is yet to be set.

Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman last night told The Daily Star over phone that the pre-dialogue talks would be held later.

The talks scheduled for last Wednesday was deferred later due to a cabinet meeting.

Leaders of the pro-Saifur faction of BNP are now busy making preparation for their meeting with the Election Commission (EC) scheduled for Sunday. They are also trying to convince some party leaders loyal to Khaleda to participate in dialogue on electoral reforms.

Meanwhile, Saifur Rahman, BNP acting chairperson appointed by the standing committee, said the party leaders and activists cannot sit idly if party chairperson Khaleda Zia finally fails to participate in elections.

“Elections and development cannot be halted due to absence of any individual as election is a must for the country,” he told reporters at his Gulshan house after a meeting with party leaders from Sylhet.

Pointing to the pro-Khaleda faction of the party, he said if they do not go for the election, it would mean they want to impede it.

Saifur, however, said the parliamentary elections would not be effective if BNP and Awami League do not take part in it.

Pro-Khaleda leaders of the party, however, alleged that their rivals are putting pressure on some of their senior leaders to join them in dialogue with the EC using some ‘powerful quarters’.

They also said the government might change its stance on holding pre-dialogue talks with them following the Election Commission’s (EC) invitation to the pro-Saifur faction of the party.

The EC on Tuesday invited Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, acting secretary general of the pro-Saifur faction, for talks on electoral reform scheduled for Sunday.

When asked about pre-dialogue talks with the government, acting Office Secretary of pro-Khaleda faction Rizvi Ahmed last evening told The Daily Star, “We knew the talks would be held on Saturday, but we read an adviser’s remarks in newspapers in which he said the talks would be held at a convenient time. But they [government] are yet to contact us.”

Party leaders said they have decided to participate in pre-dialogue talks. They will demand the release of party chairperson Khaleda Zia and withdrawal of the cases filed against Khaleda and her family members at the meeting.

“BNP will not participate in formal dialogue unless Khaleda Zia is released. But we shall take part in pre-dialogue talks with the government,” Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah told reporters at his Mohakhali residence yesterday.

He said, “Khaleda’s release would be the main agenda in pre-dialogue talks as formal dialogue will not be fruitful without participation of the party chairperson”.

Leaders of pro-Saifur faction are trying to persuade the party’s standing committee members to take part in dialogue on electoral reforms with the EC scheduled for Sunday.

But most standing committee members are with the pro-Khaleda faction of the party. Five of them had also sent a joint letter to the EC in favour of Khaleda Zia-backed BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain.

Senior leaders of the Saifur-led faction held several meetings to work out strategies in the last few days to unite the party under the leadership of Saifur Rahman before holding talks with the EC.

But pro-Khaleda leaders said they would not sit in the EC dialogue together with Saifur-led leaders.

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