Govt talks with parties from today

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The formal dialogue between the caretaker government and political parties kicks off today with the hope of reaching a consensus over a number of debatable issues and creating an atmosphere congenial to holding of the stalled parliamentary election by the end of this year.

Formulation of a national charter proposed by the government and the release of the top political leaders, complete withdrawal of the state of emergency and all restrictions on indoor politics are expected to dominate the talks to be held at the Chief Adviser’s Office.

Meanwhile, the BNP-led four-party alliance will hold a meeting at the residence of BNP acting Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain today for the first time since the declaration of the state of emergency.

BNP acting Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed told The Daily Star last night that the meeting will discuss the alliance’s stance on the dialogue and other issues including the existing political situation and the release of the chiefs of BNP and Jamaat.

The talks are starting amid growing uncertainty with the two major political parties–Awami League (AL) and BNP–still sceptical about taking part in the dialogue without their party chiefs now in jails.

The two parties are yet to submit the lists of their delegates although their participation is important for the success of the dialogue where Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed will lead a panel of advisers.

Workers’ Party of Bangladesh and Bikalpadhara Bangladesh are the two invited parties on the first day of the much-awaited event.

The talks will commence at 10:00am with Workers’ Party while Bikalpadhara will sit in the dialogue at 4:00pm. Each session will last for two hours.

Bikalpadhara chief Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Workers’ Party President Rashed Khan Menon will lead their sides to the talks.

The dialogue with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) was also scheduled for today but the Chief Adviser’s Office shifted it to 3:00pm Sunday due to “unavoidable” circumstances, said party President Hasanul Haq Inu.

The talks with the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are scheduled for May 26.

The government has, meanwhile, expressed optimism about the success of the dialogue.

“I believe the dialogue will bring a good result for all,” the chief adviser told journalists at his office yesterday, adding that if all try together, the pre-election dialogue will be successful.

Talking to The Daily Star last night, Menon said they would place an 11-point proposal, including ensuring Hasina’s presence in the dialogue and complete lifting of emergency and the conditions on indoor politics.

Workers’ Party will oppose the idea of formulating the national charter. “We do not need the charter as the country’s constitution is the guideline to run the country,” Menon said.

He said his party would also discuss the issues of trying the war criminals and barring them from taking part in the election, soaring prices of commodities, growing unemployment and some other crises facing the country.

A free, fair and credible election will be the main agenda of Bikalpadhara at the dialogue.

The party’s Secretary General Maj (retd) MA Mannan said they would also propose complete withdrawal of the state of emergency and all restrictions on indoor politics.

About the proposed national charter, he said the matter is not clear to them. “We will not do anything contrary to our national interests,” he said.

Leaders of the two parties have meanwhile emphasised the need for participation of all the political parties in the dialogue to make it successful.

The chief adviser’s Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told The Daily Star last night that there would be separate briefings after the talks with each party.

Today’s briefings will be held at 12:00 noon and 6:00pm. “One representative from each party will be present at the briefing,” Fahim said.

He said 17 out of 19 political parties have so far submitted their lists of participants in the dialogue, which, he said, would continue until the end of next month.

Following the chief adviser’s address to the nation, the government last week invited the 19 political parties to the dialogue.

The other parties invited are Jatiya Party (JP), Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), Unity for Political Reforms, Islami Shashantantra Andolon, Khelafat Andolon (Hafezzihujur), Khelafat Majlish of Shaikhul Hadith, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Progressive Democratic Party, Gono Forum, Samyabadi Dal, and Krishak Sramik Janata League. The government also invited the dissident faction of the BNP.

The invitation letters had said the chief adviser’s address would give directives about the agenda of the dialogue, but many parties considered this as a “pre-condition” set by the government.

“It is essential to formulate a national charter through consensus among the government, political parties and representatives of people from all walks of life. A proper and sustainable election infrastructure will be put in place through this charter,” Fakhruddin said in his address.

He stressed the need for an agreement among the organisations to shun negative and destructive politics. “Hartal, blockade and violent demonstrations must come to an end once and for all,” he said.

Fakhruddin said a consensus should be reached before the election also on making parliament effective and added that a proposal to that end has already been discussed. “It must be ensured that no one rejects the election results and boycotts parliament,” he said, expressing hope that the dialogue would attach due importance to the issue.

He also said a qualitative change in politics is a must: “We will have to understand these significant issues and work out solutions through the dialogue.”

Earlier last month, a panel of five advisers held pre-dialogue talks with political parties, members of civil society and business community, and representatives from union parishads to create the ground for the official dialogue.

The panel submitted a report on the outcome of the pre-dialogue talks to the chief adviser with recommendations made by the participants of the talks.

Meanwhile, the BNP, AL and Jamaat have been pressing for the release of their party chiefs so that they could take part in the dialogue under their leadership.

While talking to reporters at his Gulshan residence, AL acting President Zillur Rahman termed the current political situation of the country “serious”.

“In this situation, we have not yet decided whether to join the talks or not,” he said after a meeting with JSD leaders.

JSD President Inu said, “We will take part in the dialogue with a feeling of disbelief, no-confidence and confusion because the chief adviser’s address to the nation disappointed us. There is also the uncertainty about the dialogue’s success if all parties do not participate in it.

“Still we are participating in the talks to ensure that the caretaker government hand over power to an elected government by December this year and no situation like 1/11 repeat,” Inu said.

Both the leaders expressed doubts over the success of the dialogue.

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