Govt, AL fail to reach consensus

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The Awami League (AL) and the government have failed to reach a consensus about a number of issues including lifting of the state of emergency before polls and unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and agreed to sit again to discuss the issues.

At its much-awaited dialogue with the caretaker government yesterday the AL emphasised that no election can be free, fair and acceptable under the state of emergency.

The government, on the other hand, said it would consider relaxing a few more provisions of the Emergency Powers Rule ahead of the elections.

Stressing the need for holding more dialogues, both sides were convinced that all issues could be resolved through discussions in order to hold a neutral election with the participation of all political parties.

“We believe dialogue is an ongoing process. Today’s [Thursday] dialogue is not the last one. We still have many things to discuss,” AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said at a joint press briefing after the dialogue.

“One of the main issues we raised before them [the AL representatives] at the dialogue is bringing qualitative changes in politics. But we did not have sufficient time to discuss it,” said Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, the government’s spokesman at the dialogue.

He said three issues–unwanted influence of politics on the economy, post-election stability and institutional and constitutional reforms–are important for bringing qualitative changes in politics.

“We will sit with the Awami League again at a suitable time shortly to discuss these particular matters,” Zillur said.

A nine-member AL delegation headed by its acting President Zillur Rahman participated in the dialogue that began at 11:00am at the Chief Adviser’s Office.

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and a few advisers represented the government side.

Issues raised by the AL at the dialogue include holding of the parliamentary election first and announcement of its date, withdrawal of all “false” and “repressive” cases against political leaders, release of detained leaders, taking effective steps to stop price spiral, trial of war criminals, withdrawal of the ban on trade union, and implementation of the Women Development Policy 1998.

Zillur Rahman asked the caretaker government to immediately withdraw all “false” cases against party chief Sheikh Hasina so that she can participate in the parliamentary polls.

“The ultimate success of the dialogue and holding of a neutral and acceptable election are not possible without her participation,” he told the dialogue.

“There is no logic behind continuing the state of emergency as there is no turmoil in the country now,” he said, adding that the atmosphere for the election cannot be created amid fear and panic.

He said the country is in a deep crisis now with soaring prices of essentials, economic recession, crushing poverty, dipping investment, energy crisis and lack of employment making people’s life wretched.

The AL leader alleged that the government has failed to prepare the ground for holding the parliamentary election, which is their constitutional mandate, and become “more enthusiastic” about holding the local government polls.

He also alleged that the roadmap announced by the Election Commission was prepared without any discussion with the political parties. “At our meetings with the Election Commission and the government prior to the dialogue we spoke many times for holding the parliamentary polls first. The move to hold elections to the local bodies first has caused confusion among the citizens,” he said.

Zillur urged the government to hold parliamentary polls before December.

Thanking the caretaker government for inviting them to dialogue, Ashraf said it was the AL that gave the proposal for holding a national dialogue.

“I believe that any problem can be solved through discussion. It’s also possible to hold a free, fair and acceptable election through dialogue,” the AL leader said.

He said AL participated in the dialogue to facilitate handing over power to an elected government through a credible election.

“We have discussed the issue of permanent release of Hasina and other detained party leaders, including party General Secretary Abdul Jalil. We also discussed the withdrawal of false cases, including those filed during the tenure of the BNP-led coalition government,” he added.

Adviser Hossain Zillur, however, said they could not make any specific statement on the matter due to legal complications.

AL demanded that its ailing party leader Mohammad Nasim must be sent abroad for treatment immediately.

“We also discussed other important issues including the price spiral of commodities and crises of gas, power and water,” Ashraf said, adding that they were not against elections to upazila or other local government bodies.

“The timing of the polls is a problem. But we asked the advisers to hold the parliamentary election first. We shall discuss the matter with the government in the next phase of dialogue,” he said.

Terming the election atmosphere the most important matter, he said they had told the government many times that no election can be free, fair and acceptable under the state of emergency.

“We asked them to lift the emergency before the polls. There is no instance of holding an election under the state of emergency in a democratic country,” Ashraf said.

AL also asked the government to form a neutral commission to identify and try the war criminals and bar them from contesting elections.

The AL leaders said they asked the government to withdraw its recent decision of hiking the prices of petroleum products. They also urged the government to reduce the prices of oil, power and gas.

Zillur said both the sides attended the dialogue with an open mind and the issues of holding polls and ensuring proper election atmosphere figured prominently at the dialogue.

Commenting on lifting of the state of emergency completely, he said they are considering relaxation of a few more provisions of the EPR.

“We have already relaxed the EPR ahead of the polls to the city corporations and municipalities,” he said.

He said he asked the AL leaders to inform them about the provisions AL wants to have lifted before the polls.

“We shall be able to decide together on lifting of the state of emergency some time later,” he said.

Zillur said the government would organise a separate dialogue with the political community on different issues including the price hike.

“We shall let you know once we are prepared for that,” he added.

Both the sides rejected the allegations of reaching an “underhand deal” ahead of the elections to the local government bodies.

When asked whether AL would participate in the polls if the state of emergency is not lifted, Ashraf said it was a “hypothetical question”.

Replying to a query on BNP’s boycott of dialogue, Zillur said BNP is yet to inform them about its decision. “I did not hear that they refused to attend the dialogue.”

The AL earlier threatened to boycott the talks if the government did not release Hasina, who was finally freed for eight weeks on June 11.

The AL president later directed her party leaders to take part in the formal dialogue with the government.

The military-backed government has so far held dialogue with smaller political parties, business community and union parishad chairmen. Regional conferences were also held in Khagrachhari and Chittagong.

AL leaders Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury and Ataur Rahman Khan Kaiser attended the dialogue and the press briefing.

Advisers Hasan Arrif, Anwarul Iqbal and Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury were present at the briefing.

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