Release viewed as way to dialogue

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The release of Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina is one of the major steps taken by this government to prepare the stage for an election acceptable to the nation, said highly placed sources in the government.

This also reinforces the government’s commitment to hold the national election in December this year, the sources noted.

The former prime minister has been released considering a number of factors including the need for sending her to US for treatment of ear.

But more importantly, the government was unable to overcome the stagnation over election preparatory dialogues with political parties — specially with the AL and BNP– without freeing their top leaders Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

Both the parties had earlier declared that they would not participate in any dialogue until their chiefs are released. The AL had additionally declared launching of an agitation to free its top leader.

“The BNP is already split into two factions and it is politically in a weak position. The party’s main concern now is to unite. That’s why the government thought that the much stronger Awami League should be brought to the dialogue first,” said a top government official.

”Once a big party like the AL comes to the dialogue table, it will be easy for the government to bring BNP to the talks,” he said, adding that Khaleda Zia also might be released the way Hasina has been freed.

“The government’s main objective is to hold the national election. The dialogue was initiated as part of it. But the process became stagnant when none of the major parties joined it,” he said.

“The arrest of both Hasina and Khaleda had created instability in the political environment. Day by day, the situation was becoming more and more unstable. If this trend continues, it will be difficult for this government to hold the election for transfer of power. Again, we don’t want the nation to go back to the pre-January 11, 2007 scenario,” said another official.

“The government wants to see a healthy and lasting democratic order after the next election.”

The official went on, “This is why we have taken into consideration that although in detention, both the leaders have popularity. It is not possible for a government to reduce one’s popularity just by putting him or her in detention. So, we want dialogues for creating a congenial atmosphere for election.

“Since the government wants to handover power after the election, it wants to do so with reputation. It does not want to give any scope of blaming it with not trying sincerely or not doing enough,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hasina’s release however was not welcomed by all within the government. A section of officials involved in the anti-corruption drive raised the question that since Hasina was released for treatment purposes, why she was being allowed to meet her party men. They also asked if Hasina returns to detention after eight weeks of parole, how would that resolve the political crisis?

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