BNP briefs foreign diplomats
The BNP-led 18-party alliance is planning a fresh spell of anti-government campaigns for the sake of its political existence and to mount a pressure on the government for immediate negotiations that will lead to a free, fair, inclusive, and peaceful election, party insiders said.
To put an uninterrupted pressure on the government, alliance partners of the BNP have already suggested party chief Khaleda Zia for enforcing at least two-day strike every week, the sources added.
With a view to finalising the fresh course of action, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia held a meeting with the alliance partners at her Gulshan office in the capital yesterday.
Besides, the diplomatic wing of the BNP also plans to maintain regular correspondence with foreign diplomats in a bid to keep the newly formed Awami League (AL)-led government under a pressure for holding an immediate fresh election.
As part of the scheme, the diplomatic wing of the BNP yesterday held a meeting with foreign diplomats posted in Dhaka including American Ambassador to Bangladesh W Dan Mozena, EU Ambassador William Hanna, and Canadian High-commissioner Hidar Cruden.
The BNP delegation was comprised of the members of the party diplomatic wing and advisers to Khaleda Zia including Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Sabihuddin Ahmed, and Reaz Rahman.
In the meeting, the BNP leaders appraised the foreign diplomats of the country’s latest political development following the ‘controversial’ January 5 election and the formation of the new cabinet which, they claimed, is totally ‘immoral and constitutionally illegal’. After the meeting, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhutry told journalists that his party is prepared to sit across the table for a dialogue to end the country’s prevailing political impasse.
In the meeting, Dan Mozena expressed his disappointment over the January-5 national polls and said peoples’ opinion did not reflect in the election.
He underscored the need for dialogued for a durable, transparent and credible election and urged the government to allow the BNP to continue its anti-government campaign in a democratic manner.
William Hanna, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, said dialogue among the country’s major political parties is a must and it is the only way to get rid of the prevailing political crisis.
While talking to the media, Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Hidar Cruden urged the political parties to shun the path of violence and sit for a dialogue for political and economical stabilities.
He said another national polls could be arranged if the people of Bangladesh want that. But that has to be held through a fruitful dialogue, he added. Talking to The Independent, two standing committee members of the BNP and two leaders of the 18-party alliance said the current political stalemate could destabilise the country and have long-term negative implications for the democratic process and economic prospects of Bangladesh.
BNP standing committee member Mahbubur Rahman claimed that Awami League has put democracy at vstake by forming the new cabinet on Sunday.
No international organisations or foreign countries including the USA, UK and United Nations or the European Union except India did greet Sheikh Hasina in a friendly manner for being the prime minister of Bangladesh for third time.
Responding to a query, Mahbub said the people as well as international communities will never allow the Awami League-led government to run the country for the next five years.
“We will wage a fresh course of programme soon to make the Sheikh Hasina administration quit power. We won’t allow the government to go unchallenged,” the BNP leader warned.
Courtesy of The Independent
