Bangladesh News

The caretaker government yesterday proposed a dialogue with Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on its offer for holding the national election on December 28, deferring it by 10 days.

The AL chief however declined to sit with the government now, asking it to settle the matter first with BNP that agreed to participate in the polls if held on the changed date, highly placed sources said.

Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman gave the talks proposal to Hasina over telephone.

The former prime minister told the adviser there is no need to discuss the matter with her now, the sources added.

AL insiders said the party has no ‘major objection’ to taking part in the parliamentary election on December 28 if the government and Election Commission (EC) formally announce the new date after ensuring participation of all major political parties, especially BNP-led four-party alliance. But the party would maintain its stance on holding the election on December 18 Until formal announcement of the new date.

“We still stick to our present stance on the December 18 election,” AL presidium member Matia Chowdhury said when contacted yesterday.

AL spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said, “We are now waiting for the outcome of BNP’s dialogue with the Election Commission and government on the issue.” They would then sit with the government and the EC to discuss the new date for polls, he added.

On BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s demand for lifting the state of emergency, Ashraf said it is also their (AL) demand. “But emergency will continue for 10 more days if the election is deferred. We don’t know why she wants it,” the AL joint general secretary told reporters outside Hasina’s residence Sudha Sadan.

Sources in the AL said the party is giving utmost importance to holding of the general election but it appears reluctant to press for its demands including withdrawal of the state of emergency, scrapping of the EC’s power to cancel candidacy and deferment of upazila election by a logical time gap.

Asked about the new date for election, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, a central leader of Jatiya Party which is a component of AL-led polls alliance, said, “It is a matter between the government and BNP. So, they should first resolve it.”