The Unites Nations is trying to facilitate holding of a dialogue between prime minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to resolve the country’s prolonged political crisis.
The permanent representative of Bangladesh to the UN headquarters, MA Momen, has made an indication that UN general-general Ban Ki-moon is using his good offices to resolve the crisis relating to elections in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh official, however, complained that the BNP side presented ‘wrong’ information about the 29 April city polls to the UN.
“The reaction to the city elections from the UN chief was not based on proper information. It was not a national election, rather a local government electiton and Mr Ban Ki-moon was aware of it,” Momen told Prothom ALo and claimed that they had already cleared the matter providing the UN authorities with correct information.
“Knowing the facts, the UN secretary-general has asked (his colleagues) to take preemptive step to resolve the political crisis ahead of national elections,” he said.
Assistant secretary-general Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, already assigned to help resolve the Bangladesh political crisis, is said to have felt that a dialogue between the two paramount leaders, especially improvement in personal relation between them, is essential to resolve the crisis.
It was learnt that none could so far tell Taranco how such a dialogue would be possible.
The UN official, who earlier came to Bangladesh to media talks between the ruling Awami League and the BNP before 2014 elections, is still keeping in touch with the foreign affairs ministry in Dhaka and other quarters concerned.
Source: Prothom Alo
