Dialogue with business leaders June 3

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The government will meet business leaders, non-resident Bangladeshis and workers’ representatives to discuss the electoral roadmap and political stability.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Constitution Movement (ICM) during their dialogue with the caretaker government yesterday pressed for the formulation of a law to punish acts of blasphemy.

Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said the chief adviser will meet business leaders from across the country on June 3, which will be coordinated by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

FBCCI leaders met Zillur Wednesday when the apex body of business leaders expressed doubt over the dialogue and the chances of political stability in the near future.

He said at least 300 representatives from different sectors in each district will attend the meeting to be held at the International Conference Centre (ICC) at the Chief Adviser’s Office.

Zillur also said the government advisers will travel to six or seven destinations around the world to meet Bangladeshi expatriate community leaders to discuss ways of making the electoral roadmap a success and establishing political stability.

He added that the government will also meet workers’ representatives.

ICM DIALOGUE

The ICM asked the government to formulate a new law to punish blasphemy as the dialogue limped to its fourth day yesterday.

“We have asked the government to create specific punishment for any offence related to blasphemy,” ICM Joint Secretary General ATM Hemayet Uddin told the post-dialogue joint press briefing at the Chief Adviser’s Office.

The ICM is the sixth party to sit with the chief adviser and five other advisers in the dialogue, which has hit a wall after boycott announcement of both BNP and Awami League.

In the meeting, the ICM also proposed a permanent parliamentary seat for the Khatib of Baitul Mukarram to veto anti-Islamic developments in the legislature. They also asked for moral guidance for the society to eradicate dishonesty, corruption and terrorism.

The party has long campaigned for establishing Sharia Law and recently spearheaded protests against the equal rights for women sanctioned by the Women Development Policy.

It gained a sole parliamentary seat as part of the BNP-led coalition in the last election.

ICM Ameer Shaheed Muhammad Rezaul Karim led its delegation to meet the chief adviser and the five advisers.

The Islamic party also demanded the relaxation of the state of emergency, publishing of a list of people who might disturb the polls, and the stop to “foreign intervention” in domestic affairs.

The government was also asked to announce a specific election date to clear any confusion about the polls.

Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman welcomed ICM’s demand to identify and arrest criminals to prevent election-related violence as “some have done in the past”.

The government will meet another 11 parties as part of the dialogues.

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