The European Union today urged both ruling Awami League and main opposition BNP to engage in a constructive dialogue to bridge the gap between the two parties.
“We urge both parties to now engage in constructive dialogue to bridge the gap between them and to arrive at a politically acceptable way forward,” said a press release of EU delegation in Dhaka.
The release said the EU is encouraged by the fact that both the main party leaders have made proposals in the last few days aimed at finding a political solution to the current problems in Bangladesh.
“It is good to see both parties seeking to avoid the path of confrontation. The EU is opposed to all political violence,” the media note said.
Earlier, USA and UK also welcomed the recent development in the country’s political arena.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert W Gibson yesterday welcomed the many positive aspects of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s speech, and hoped that all sides would approach the dialogue in a spirit of compromise and trust.
“We hope that the suggestions made in her (Khaleda) speech will be considered by the government and that meaningful dialogue will quickly begin which would offer the people of Bangladesh more certainty over the election process and lead to elections that are transparent, inclusive and credible,” the envoy said in a statement.
On the same day, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena said the speeches of the country’s two top leaders – Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia – demonstrated that they are open to dialogue and hoped that the interested parties will seize the opportunity for finding an acceptable path to a free, fair, and credible election.
“In my view, her (Khaleda Zia) speech, and the one given by PM Hasina on Friday indicate that both leaders have demonstrated they’re open to dialogue, and I hope the interested parties will seize the opportunity and begin to discuss a mutually acceptable path to a free, fair, and credible election,” the envoy said in a statement.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday proposed forming an all-party election-time government to oversee the next general election.
On Monday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia offered an alternative formula to form a polls-time government led by a revered person and comprising 10 ex-advisers from the 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments to be chosen by the ruling and opposition parties to hold an inclusive and credible election.
Source: The Daily Star
