Govt in unofficial parley to persuade AL, BNP

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Concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the participation of the three largest political parties in the ongoing dialogue, the government has started unofficial negotiations to persuade them into the much-hyped pre-poll talks.

Sources in the Awami League (AL) and BNP told The Daily Star that they had been contacted separately through unofficial channels to find ways to bring them to the dialogue.

But both the government and the political parties did not disclose the details of any possible deal between the two sides.

The efforts came as the success of the dialogue, which enters second day today, hangs in the balance with the AL, BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami not yet agreeing to participate in the talks unless their party chiefs are released from jail.

Senior government officials yesterday told The Daily Star that the administration still has time to bring the three parties to the table through negotiations while holding talks with 14 other parties in the next few weeks.

A number of these officials called leaders of these three parties over telephone and sent emissaries to them to find ways to break the deadlock.

The AL decision is expected to come after the central leadership meets its grassroots leaders tomorrow to decide whether to take part in the polls in the absence of party President Sheikh Hasina.

The BNP and Jamaat are also due to hold crucial party meetings this week to decide on whether to join the dialogue without their party chiefs.

Meanwhile, the Jatiyatabadi Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu), which is due to sit with the government today, released a statement yesterday, expressing doubts over the success of the dialogue as the three parties are reluctant to participate in it without their leaders.

“The reluctance of big parties like the BNP and Awami League to take part in the dialogue and in the elections will jeopardise the credibility of parliamentary elections to be held in December,” said the JSD release.

The acting heads of the AL, BNP and Jamaat reiterated over the past two days that they would not join the dialogue fearing it would be ineffective and meaningless without the participation of their chiefs.

AL acting President Zillur Rahman said the AL would take to the streets “in due time” if Hasina is not released unconditionally.

The BNP and Jamaat have also revived activity of their four-party alliance after the arrest of Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami in a bid to strengthen their political clout in government negotiations.

Meanwhile, the likelihood of BNP’s joining the talks was boosted late last week as its pro-Khaleda faction led by Khandakar Delwar Hossain started to believe, after the arrest of pro-Saifur faction leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, that the government has now accepted it as the legitimate BNP, party sources said.

Delwar said the dialogues would be largely meaningless without the participation of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

“Khaleda Zia must be there at the dialogue to make it meaningful in the interests of a free and fair election. She has to be freed. The government has to prove its willingness [to make the dialogue successful] by releasing her,” Delwar told reporters yesterday.

Last Thursday’s talks with Workers Party of Bangladesh and Bikalpadhara Bangladesh have also reassured the BNP and AL as the government said political parties alone would form a national charter.

However, both Workers Party and Bikalpadhara accused Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed of not taking the dialogue “seriously enough” as he left only an hour into the two-hour-long meetings.

Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon had threatened to walk out while Bikalpadhara chief and former president Badruddoza Chowdhury left with Fakhruddin.

The caretaker government will sit with the Communist Party of Bangladesh and the Liberal Democratic Party tomorrow.

Over the next month, the government will sit with Jatiya Party, Gono Forum, Samyabadi Dal, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Unity for Political Reforms, Islami Shashantantra Andolon, Khelafat Andolon (Hafejjihujur), Progressive Democratic Party, and Khelafat Majlish of Shaikhul Hadith.

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