Opposition chief Khaleda Zia is set to meet President Abdul Hamid Tuesday evening amid anticipation that the outcome of the meeting will determine the opposition’s next course of action.
The BNP chairperson is likely to apprise the president of her party’s position on the poll-time government during the meeting, party insiders said. Immediately after the sworn-in of the eight new ministers in the poll-time cabinet, the opposition leader sought an appointment of the president through a letter.
The Bangabhaban has fixed the meeting between the president and the opposition leader at 6pm.
The BNP leader has been requested not to take more than 20 leaders along with her, said Saleh Ahmed, personal secretary to the opposition leader.
Sources with the BNP said the party’s standing committee members, Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and several vice chairmen will accompany the opposition leader during the meeting.
Commenting on the development, BNP Standing Committee Member Mahbubur Rahman said, “Non-party caretaker government system is a must for credible and acceptable general polls. Our party chief may brief the president about the rationale behind the caretaker government demand.”
“I’m still hopeful that a good solution will come out from the talks and the president will extend his all-out efforts to make the talks meaningful ahead of the upcoming general polls,” Rahman went on.
Rahman said the latest move by government proves it wants to keep the main opposition away from the election process.
“We are always an election-oriented party and we want to take part in the polls. I believe that the president will ensure BNP’s participation through realising its justified demand,” Rahman added. The ruling Awami League will not be spared if it moves to hold the next general elections as per its ‘whims’, he warned. BNP’s participation is needed if Awami League wants to hold ‘legal and acceptable’ general elections, Rahman said. BNP’s another Standing Committee Member ASM Hannan Shah said previous experiences of talks were not good at all.
About the agenda of the talks, he said only election time non-partisan government issue might be discussed. cAsked about the outcome of the meeting, Shah said, “I am very much confused whether the talks would be fruitful or not.”
-With The Independent input
