AL ready for poll dialogue

Ashraful

The ruling Awami League wants to sit with BNP for dialogues any moment, said the Local Government and Rural Development Minister on Monday.

“The only way to reach a solution is through dialogues. No other alternative is available,” said LGRD minister Syed Ashraful Islam, who is also the General Secretary of Awami League.

“The sooner the dialogue takes place and an agreement is reached, the better for the country and its democracy,” Islam said at the Secretariat.

He said the government has already touched base with the Opposition on the issue and a date and place for the dialogue will be settled only when the Opposition responds.

“We have already made the proposal in the Parliament and waiting for a reply.” he said.

Islam said the Prime Minister herself made the proposal.

“What could be more formal than a PM's proposal.”

Hinting at backroom negotiations between the ruling coalition and the Opposition alliance, the LGRD minister said: “It's not that talks are not going on now. Dialogue is a continuous process in politics.”

Islam said he was hopeful of a positive response from the BNP.

“We all will participate in the next general election.”

When asked about several “formulas” suggested to break the current deadlock, the minister said his government expected political parties to break the impasse through dialogues. He sought assistance from all to end the impasse.

The Awami League led coalition government had annulled the caretaker arrangement of the Constitution by passing the 15th amendment after a Supreme Court ruling. BNP has been threatening the government with boycott of the next general election if the caretaker government provision is not reinstated.
Syed Ashraful Islam said Bangladesh draws international media attention often through its successes.

“Bangladesh is no more a state of beggars. We won't be relying on foreign assistance in the future. We are capable to lead our country in development with our own resources.”

Source: Bd News24