Taranco says after Ashraf, Fakhrul meet in breakthrough talks
The ruling and the opposition parties today initiated a much-sought-after dialogue, brokered by the United Nations, where they decided to work together to decrease tension.
“Both sides have agreed to continue their dialogue in a spirit of goodwill and compromise, and to work constructively together to decrease tensions and build confidence,” UN Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco told journalists at a hotel in the capital.
Thought to be a key catalyst for breaking the prevailing political deadlock, the meeting between Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam and BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir took place at the house of UNDP official’s residence in Gulshan.
Beginning at 12:40pm, the meeting continued till 3:50pm.
“At the invitation of the United Nations secretary-general, representatives of both parties have met and engaged in dialogue,” said the UN official who flew in Friday to talk with different stakeholders to strike a solution to the prevailing political crisis.
Applauding both the parties’ decision to sit down for a dialogue, he said: “This shows political leadership, responsibility and courage.”
Taranco was talking to the press at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the afternoon after the meeting between Ashraf and Fakhrul, which so far appeared to be very elusive despite pressure from the international community and desire from citizens of the country for so.
TARANCO EXTENDS STAY
The UN top official has extended his stay, deferred his meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for tomorrow and postponed his press briefing — both of which were scheduled this afternoon — to hold further discussion, UN officials told The Daily Star.
As journalists were throwing questions at him, Taranco said: “I will have the opportunity to address the questions from the press most likely tomorrow afternoon since I have decided to extend my stay here in Bangladesh given the very positive developments that have been taken place.”
“Today represents an important moment in the current context,” he said, terming AL and BNP’s move to sit for a dialogue as “an answer to the expectations of the people of Bangladesh”.
DELIBERATE MOVE TO MELT ICE
According to sources, the meeting was planned last night in a last ditch effort, mediated by the visiting UN assistant secretary-general, to bring all the political parties to the 10th parliamentary election to ensure its acceptability and fairness.
The leadership of both AL and BNP empowered Syed Ashraful and Mirza Fakhrul to negotiate ways to hold an all-party parliamentary election.
According to sources close to those engaged in the negotiation process, the ruling AL has softened it position on curtailing the power of the prime minister who will continue to lead the election-time government.
It was a demand of a civil society group that met the president on November 26.
The main opposition BNP, which has so far been pressing to see someone else at the helm of the polls-time government, is now pushing ahead with the demand of “an influence-free acceptable election”, sources told The Daily Star.
The UN move comes as the country sees a violent phase of demonstration due to rigid stance by both the ruling and the opposition political blocs regarding the holding of the next parliamentary election. While the AL-led government proceeds with steps to hold the polls being in the power, the opposition demands a non-party caretaker government to oversee the polls.
With the election less than a month away, scheduled for January 5, Jatiya Party, a key ally of the ruling Awami League until recently, announced of boycotting the polls saying that it would not be acceptable if all parties do not join.
All six JP ministers and an adviser to the PM offered to resign to the party chairperson, HM Ershad, and their letters were sent to the premier by post.
Ershad, on December 4, also instructed his party’s aspirant lawmakers to withdraw their nomination for the 10th parliamentary election.
Analysts believe the polls will hardly be credible with main opposition BNP and its allies in keep off the polls and JP’s recent decision to break away from the polls-time government.
The JP, meantime, demanded that the Election Commission to announce fresh schedule for the next general election so that all political parties participate in the polls.
Taranco met the PM and sought to know from Hasina Saturday if there was any scope for deferring the polls date. To this, Hasina said the Election Commission could decide on that.
After meeting with Taranco yesterday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said: “The delegation wanted to know whether it is possible to defer the election and I told them that there are scopes for everything if an understanding is reached.”
Source: The Daily Star
