Bikalpadhara Bangladesh has announced that it will join a new coalition led by the BNP, outside the present 18-Party Alliance, to press the demand for a polls-time non-party government.
Party Joint Secretary General Mahi B Chowdhury made the announcement on Tuesday in capital Dhaka.
Bikalpadhara, led by former President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, is outside the present BNP-led 18-Party Alliance, but has supported several programmes of the main opposition party.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Sunday that ‘all opposition parties’ would march to reinforce their demand of a non-party administration during the next general elections.
Mahi told a press conference at the National Press Club on Tuesday: “We’ll neither be absorbed into the BNP nor will we join the 18-Party Alliance. We’ll form a separate coalition with the BNP and other opposition parties. They have responded positively to the matter.”
“The (new) alliance will lead the people in demanding a non-party government.”
The former MP said outline of the alliance would be determined soon. “This coalition will be for movement and elections.”
Mahi said they were not planning to merge with the BNP. “My father B Chowdhury came out of the BNP to form Bikalpadhara. That’s why there was a political distance between us and the BNP.”
“We’ve already successfully reduced the gap through discussions. Bikalpadhara thinks it has a psychological relationship with the BNP. Shaheed Ziaur Rahman is the essence of our politics.”
Before the planned 2007 parliamentary polls, which were cancelled after the army-backed caretaker government assumed office, Bikalpadhara was in the Awami League-led Grand Alliance.
Though Bikalpadhara was once against shutdowns, the party now says it has no objections to strikes under the present circumstances.
“If strikes become inevitable to secure a neutral government, they are ok. However, violence and killings must be avoided while creating pressure on the government.”
Mahi recommended ‘a 10-member neutral advisory body’ to be elected by Parliament to oversee the national elections
Source: Bd news24
