Bangladesh News

The Awami League (AL) and BNP yesterday separately said they would boycott the ongoing dialogue unless their chiefs are released “unconditionally”, sending a blow to the government efforts to persuade the two biggest parties into the talks.

Shaken but still optimistic, the government has, meanwhile, stepped up its unofficial negotiations with the two parties as it admitted their doubts about the dialogue’s success without the participation of the AL and BNP.

The business community and the diplomatic community also stepped into the foray yesterday, saying both the government and political parties must reach a “compromise” to break the deadlock.

The dialogue enters the fourth day today as the government sits with the Islami Shashantantra Andolon, the party that was at the forefront of the protests against the Women Development Policy 2008.

The AL yesterday gave its bluntest message to boycott the polls, saying it would not take part in the talks without the unconditional release of former prime minister and party chief Sheikh Hasina, even if she is freed on parole.

“The Awami League will not take part in any dialogue with the government without Sheikh Hasina. We will not even join the dialogue if she is freed on parole. She must be freed unconditionally and only then we will think about joining the dialogue,” AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body.

Asked how they expect Hasina’s release as she is under trial, Syed Ashraf outright rejected the current trial process. “All the cases are false, baseless and motivated and the trial is nothing but show-off…We do not accept this trial process,” he told reporters.

“We have urged the government repeatedly to release her and send her abroad for treatment, but the government did not pay any heed to our demands…We wanted to make the dialogue a success but they instead of cooperating resorted to repression and brought false charges against Sheikh Hasina one after another. How can the Awami League join the dialogue?” Ashraf said.

“The government will have to shoulder the responsibility if any untoward incident occurs in the country,” the meeting cautioned.

Held at Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi with acting President Zillur Rahman in the chair, the meeting decided to convey its decisions to Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed through a letter within a few days.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain also said yesterday that they would boycott the dialogue unless former prime minister and party Chairperson Khaleda Zia is released.

The party’s policymaking forums, however, have not yet held a formal meeting to settle the dialogue issue.

“The dialogue would not be meaningful without the presence of Khaleda Zia,” Delwar said, adding that the BNP is an election-oriented party and they want to participate in the election but before that the party chief must be released.

BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan said, “The dialogue would not be meaningful while the election would not be acceptable without Khaleda Zia. So, there is no reason to go to the dialogue without her.”

Addressing a press conference at his Nam flat, Delwar said, “We have repeatedly said that the dialogue will not be successful without Khaleda. We said it in the pre-dialogue session too.

“How clear a stand do you want from us?” he said pointing at the government.

“The government has adopted a strategy to use the dialogue to implement its own plan but it will not be successful,” he said.

Demanding the release of both Khaleda and Hasina, Delwar said the two party chiefs should be allowed to lead their parties to the dialogue for the sake of democracy.

Meanwhile, the government’s chief spokesman for the dialogues Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman showed signs of stress in the government but remained optimistic about the participation of the AL and BNP.

“We have to understand the sentiments of all the political parties. We cannot say yet whether the dialogue will be successful without the participation of the two major parties,” said Zillur, who is leading the talks with the two parties.

“We will sit with all parties, no matter what others say because we are trying to continue the dialogue as there is a potential for success,” he said, calling on all sides to exercise patience.

“It will not be wise to take anything negatively,” Zillur told reporters after a meeting with business leaders led by Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Annisul Huq, who expressed doubts over the political future.

“The situation is becoming more complex…The future seems foggy to me. If the situation becomes more complicated, the nation and the business community, in particular, will be in trouble,” Huq said.

“The parties will naturally want their leaders to be freed, but they should also realise that they have to resolve the problem through discussions,” he added.

US Ambassador James F Moriarty also told the press yesterday that there is room for compromise. “I hope to see a comprise in next weeks or months. But I don’t know what would be the compromise, it’s up to the people to decide,” Moriarty said.

Meanwhile, Hasina endorsed her party’s “democratic” decision, expressing her satisfaction that the party has remained united against the odds.

AL Law Secretary Shahara Khatun read out Hasina’s message at the party’s working committee meeting.

The AL announced a countrywide campaign for collecting signatures from June 7 to June 30 and endorsed the Dhaka City unit’s human chain programme around the makeshift jail where Hasina has been detained to press home the party’s six-point demand.

The meeting attended by most central leaders also decided to send them to every district and upazila unit of the party during June 15-30 to hold extended meetings to prepare for an agitation programme, Ashraf said.