It says offer must have assurance of polls-time neutral admin
“Make it clear which issues you want to discuss and give us a formal proposal…our leader (Khaleda Zia) had earlier said she wants dialogue,” said BNP chairperson Adviser Samsuzzaman Dudu.
“If you’ve any problem with the word ‘caretaker government’, send us a written proposal mentioning that the next general election will be held under a neutral and non-party government. If you do so then we won’t have any reservation about the dialogue,” he added.
Dudu came up with the demand reacting to the Prime Minister’s proposal for dialogue at a press briefing held at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited her arch rival opposition leader Khaleda Zia to sit for a dialogue at anytime and anywhere to break the ongoing political stalemate.
“Let’s come and sit, let’s discuss,” the Prime Minister said delivering her opening speech at a views-exchange meeting with Awami League grassroots leaders from Jhalkati district at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Hasina urged the opposition leader to place their demands at any place and at anytime, whatever they like. “You can come to Parliament… it’ll be better as it’s the most neutral place,” she said.
Calling upon the government to accept the opposition’s demand for arranging the next polls under a non-party administration, Dudu said, “Nothing much will be left if the government agrees to our caretaker government demand. The discussion can be held on who will head the election-time administration.”
He said the government can show its sincerity for the talks by immediately releasing the top BNP leaders, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The Awami League-led grand alliance government scrapped the provision of holding general election under a non-party, neutral caretaker government through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution in June 2011. BNP has been on a movement since then demanding its restoration.
Dudu said though they have sought a written permission for holding the 18-prty’s Saturday’s rally either at Shapla Chattar or Nightingale Intersection, the government is yet to give it.
The BNP leader, however, threatened that they will stage the rally by any means.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to address the rally and likely to announce the next course of action programmes of the alliance to push for its various demands, including restoration of the caretaker government system.
Dudu alleged that breaded people with caps on their heads are being barred from coming to Dhaka from across the country and they were not given bus tickets.
