What is this talk of a dialogue?
Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League, which will organize the dialogue, have given noncommittal and sometimes conflicting messages about the meeting
The political arena is in somewhat of a confusion over the agenda of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s apparent move to hold talks with other political parties.
Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League, which will organize the dialogue, have given noncommittal and sometimes conflicting messages about the meeting.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on January 13 announced that the prime minister will hold dialogues with the political parties that attended dialogues at Ganabhaban before the December 30 general election.
However he backtracked from his position two days later, saying it would be a greetings exchange.
“There is no need of political discussion again,” he said on Tuesday.
On the other hand, Prime Minister’s Political Adviser HT Imam said the prime minister will host another round of discussions with the parties who attended the previous dialogue.
“But the idea that the election would be discussed is unrealistic,” he added.
Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif however indicated that even if it is a views exchange event, there can be discussion over many issues.
“We will invite the parties that attended the dialogues before election, to exchange greetings. There is no reason to call it a dialogue, but many discussions can take place when political parties come to the same platform. But these agendas cannot be disclosed in advance,” he added.
Major opposition parties are unwilling to respond to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call if it does not include an election agenda.
“Quader mentioned that the prime minister plans to hold more dialogues. We will only participate in a dialogue if its agenda includes cancelling the 11th general election,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Tuesday.
He added that this is the final decision of both BNP and its alliance Jatiya Oikya Front.
BNP standing committee member and coordinator of BNP-led 20-party Alliance Nazrul Islam Khan said their platform will not sit for a dialogue without a specific agenda.
“We will not go there to exchange any greetings,” he said.
Jatiya Oikya Front leader Sultan Muhammad Mansur said they will sit for the dialogue if it aims to discuss or resolve the irregularities of the national polls.
However Jatiya Oikya Front convener Dr Kamal Hossain sees the move as a positive step.
“I called upon the government to hold talks with political parties, with the aim of finding an effective way for holding a fresh and credible election. Now, the prime minister herself has decided to hold talks. I hail the decision, and it is surely a positive initiative,” Dr Kamal said on January 13.
Dr Kamal further said he expects a positive outcome for the people of the country if dialogues are held with the prime minister.
