* CG issue should be on the agenda: BNP * Formal proposal in next two days: Ashraf
Dhaka, May 2: Prime minister and president of the ruling Awami League Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged opposition leader and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to sit for a dialogue to resolve the long-standing political stalemate that gripped the country for the last couple of years. She said that that she was ready to discuss the wayout of the current political crisis with the opposition leader ‘in anytime, anywhere’. In an immediate response to her offer the opposition said that they were also ready to sit for the dialogue if they got formal proposal from the government and the issue of restoration of the caretaker government system would be incorporated in the dialogue agenda.
“Let’s come and sit anytime, anywhere…let’s discuss. You can come to Parliament… it’ll be better as it’s the most neutral place. We’ll listen to your demands and we’ll do whatever possible for us,” the prime minister urged the opposition leader while addressing a view exchange meeting with Awami League grassroots leaders from Jhalkati district at her official residence Ganobhaban in the morning.
The PM’s much awaited offer stirred the country’s political arena and it inject fresh hope to end the ongoing confrontational politics as both the ruling party and the opposition seemed to talk a hard line suffocating the democratic polity.
“At this critical time, we urge the opposition leader to come up and place her demands. We’re ready to listen to your demands… we’ll do everything which will be the best for the country,” the prime minister said.
Hours after the PMs call, party general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told the newsmen that the government would send a formal proposal to the opposition for dialogue within next two days.
“The proposed dialogue would be brief as we know the issue . . . the dialogue could be held inside or outside parliament,” he said talking to the reporters at the foundation laying ceremony of a guest house of Dhaka Officers Club in the city on Thursday.
He added that the dialogue could be held between the top leaders of the two parties while he expected the dialogue offer to be formalised in the next two days and expected a positive opposition response to it.
He said the premier’s dialogue proposal was the outcome of a long informal process to bring the two parties to the talks.
On the other hand, briefing the press on his party’s position regarding PMs offer, BNP leader Shamsuzzaman Dudu who is also adviser to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, said, “Written and formal proposal for dialogue will have to be given first clearing the government’s stance to hold the next general poll under a non-party CG management.
Only then, will we sit with the government for discussion in or outside the parliament. Several ministers and senior leaders of the ruling Awami League have been making the same call since the political standoff emerged over the CG issue”.
“BNP will respond positively if the premier Sheikh Hasina puts forward a formal proposal setting up an agenda for the talks to pave the path of holding the next general poll under the CG oversight,” he said.
“There is no necessity to prolong the dialogue if the CG demand is met. We can hold talks to select chief of the election time CG management,” he added.
“If you (premier) have any reservation about the name of caretaker government, you can describe the system as election time non-partisan government,” he said adding that BNP would never raise any question against this,” Dudu said.
Talking to The Independent BNP leader Khondker Mosharraf Hossain and MK Anwar thanked the PM for the dialogue offer and hoped a formal proposal regarding the dialogue would be made by the government.
Earlier, in her speech at Ganabhnaban, the prime minister mentioned that the government wants peace to prevail in the country and people lead a secure life, as it is not desirable for anyone to kill people in the name of hartal and put people in any uneasy situation.
She urged the opposition leader not to do anything that may hamper the country’s democratic process. “We’ll have to ensure the continuation of democratic process.”
Hasina also mentioned that more than 5,600 elections were held in a free, fair and neutral manner under the present government as the government believes in people’s empowerment and ensuring their constitutional rights. “We want the democratic process to continue in the country.”
The Prime Minister also thanked the opposition again for lifting their hartal in response to her request after the Savar building collapse.
“Just after the building collapse I, from a programme, had requested them to withdraw the hartal, they did it in a couple of hours…I thank them for their gesture,” she said.
She also mentioned that BNP and some other political parties had called for hartal for today (May 2) over their various demands. “Again, I requested them to withdraw it as we couldn’t complete the rescue operation at Savar…I convey my thanks to them as they listened to my appeal.”
Turning to the election issue, Hasina said the Election Commission will enjoy the all power during the election. “The EC will enjoy it (power) all. The election will be held as per the system of the other democratic countries in the world.”
Hasina also said she does not want the 2007-like situation when the caretaker government advisers had quit. “After that the caretaker government was formed with all favorite persons of Khaldea Zia and that caretaker government didn’t want to leave power.” The prime minister also urged opposition leader Khaleda Zia to come to Parliament just once to join a photo session with the new Speaker, the Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
“Please, come to Parliament just once, let’s have at least one picture together to keep it on record,” Hasina requested Khaleda Zia.
Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury was elected the country’s first female Speaker on April 30.
With her election as the female Speaker, now the Jatiya Sangsad is adorned by three key women — Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Khaleda Zia — apart from many other women MPs.
“We’ve made a history in the world… this will never happen again,” Hasina said adding that the Speaker of Parliament is now a woman.
Even the deputy leader of Parliament is woman, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury. “I would request you to select a female deputy leader of the opposition in Parliament. That will make another example in the world,” Hasina said adding that there is no deputy leader of the opposition in Parliament since its beginning.
The Prime Minister went on: “I’ll request her (Khaleda) just to come to Parliament to give a chance for snapping just one picture. It’ll be there on record in the world history.”
“That’s why I will request her to come at least one time in the Parliament,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina at the same programme also invited Khaleda Zia to sit for a dialogue to break the country’s long-drawn political standoff.
-with The Independent input
