Civil society leaders have expressed frustration over the Opposition’s hartal call, saying this might disrupt the environment for talks. Eminent jurist Barrister Rafique-ul Huq said on Friday that the door for a dialogue has not yet been closed. The two-day ultimatum given by the Opposition leader during her speech at Suhrawardy Uddyan is too little a time to jump start the talks to resolve the political impasse, he added.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has declared a three-day hartal — October27-29 — if talks do not take place by Saturday. “The hartal called for three days is not proper. It is too extreme. There should have been two more days to initiate the dialogue process before calling the hartal,” Barrister Huq told The Independent. Dr Shahdhin Malik, a constitutional expert, said: “On the one hand, both sides are indicating their willingness for a dialogue and compromise, and on the other they are sticking to their rigid stand. It does not seem likely that a solution will be achieved through talks and we are likely to witness confrontational street politics in the coming weeks. Hartal has become a necessary evil in our politics. Nobody likes hartal, but we have to live with it.”
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, urged both Sheikh Hasina and Begum Zia to give up their stubborn attitude to create a congenial atmosphere for a meaningful dialogue to settle the dispute over an election-time government.
“Still there is time to initiate a constructive dialogue to bridge the gap between the two parties,” said the TIB executive director, urging both leaders to be flexible in the greater interest of the nation.
Terming the BNP chief’s two-day ultimatum as a “show of muscle power”, the TIB official said both have to move away from the politics of destruction and intimidation. “Time is running out fast. So, act immediately with sincerity, leaving behind obstinacy,” said Iftekharuzzaman, urging both to give up their hostile and opposite stand.
Addressing a rally at Suhrawardy Uddyan on Friday, the Opposition leader declared a 2-day ultimatum for initiating talks on a neutral election-time government. Otherwise, she warned, a 60-hour nationwide shutdown would be imposed from 6:00 am on Sunday to 6:00 pm Tuesday.
“We will resist holding of election under Sheikh Hasina. No poll can be held without the participation of all political parties’, she said, adding that the Awami League-led government will become “illegal” from October 27.
-With The Independent input
