The government is playing a ‘dialogue game’, the opposition BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.
Fakhrul said this at a media briefing after the opposition’s 60-hour countrywide strike ended on Tuesday evening.
The opposition had gone ahead with the strike, ignoring an invitation extended by the Prime Minister for a dialogue between her party, the Awami League, and BNP, the main opposition party, over an election-time government.
The PM’s invitation to the Leader of the Opposition, made in a telephone call, had raised hopes of a political reconciliation.
But the opposition’s negative repose to the PM’s overture dashed such hopes.
“The government is playing a ‘dialogue’ game, staging a drama,” said Fakhrul.
The BNP’s acting Secretary General’s comment came amid criticism of Khaleda Zia’s refusal to accept the PM’s dialogue offer.
Calls that Khaleda Zia should take the next initiative were also being made as Fakhrul’s statement came in.
Politicians, businessmen, and diplomats have welcomed the PM’s 37-minute telephonic talk with Khaleda on Saturday, a day before the 60-hour strike began. They feel both the parties should seek out ways to engage in a dialogue.
“We have made it clear that it is solely the government’s responsibility to organise the talks. It is the government who has to take the initiative to overcome the existing crisis. Otherwise, it will have to bear responsibility of all that is happening,” said Fakhrul.
He also questioned the government’s commitment to the holding of talks.
“It is making talks offers, on the one hand, and torturing opposition leaders and activists, on the other. We advise the government to follow a simple path: Stop killing people by opening fire on them,” said Fakhrul.
Earlier in the morning, Fakhrul told journalists that they would respond to any request for a dialogue by the government after Oct 29.
He said his party would not back off from their demand of having a non-party government to oversee the 10th parliamentary election.
The grand alliance government is of the opinion that the next election should be held under the outgoing government, as mandated by a constitutional amendment.
The BNP maintains a partisan government would never ensure a free and fair election.
Fakhrul said there could be no dialogue on holding an election under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He blamed the government for bomb blasts and firings in opposition leaders Mirza Abbas, Sadeq Hossain Khoka and Abdus Salam’s residences on Monday night.
“We have spared many things. From now on our leaders and activists will not be sitting idle,” Fakhrul warned.
He said the government was intentionally pushing the country toward inevitable political violence.
Source: Bd news24
