Dhaka, May 3: Eminent citizens welcomed the government call to the opposition for dialogue to resolve the ongoing political impasse and emphasized that dialogue was the only solution to groom the democratic process in the country. Eminent jurist Barrister Rafique-ul Huq welcomed and thanked the prime minister Sheikh Hasina to invite the opposition leader Khaleda Zia for dialogue to resolve the current political stalemate. “The Opposition should have accepted the invitation of the prime minister without tagging any conditions. I would tell BNP to go and meet,” he said. “All the problems should be resolved through dialogue to avoid any kind of confrontation. The opposition should sit for the dialogue considering the welfare of the state and the people,” he added.
Dr Md Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) described the call of the prime minister for dialogue is a positive sign to break the political impasse.
“PM made an open call. So the opposition also should respond her with an open mind,” he said.
“Both parties should avoid their rigid stance and go to the talks. The discussion should be taken place with positive attitudes and constructive one. Otherwise, if it fails, they will face the negative impact greatly,” he observed. He hopes that both the ruling Awami League and the opposition would come forward to make the dialogue a success.
Sujan General Secretary Badiul Alam Mojumder welcomed the gesture of the prime minister for dialogue.
“If both parties cannot find out a solution and the elections do not take place in time with the participation of all political parties, we will be in deep troubles,” he said.
Unless the settlement of some differences between the two parties-government and opposition, a credible election would not be possible, he added.
“Both parties should create a congenial atmosphere for the election and the govt should release the detained political leaders and the government should stop arrest of opposition. On the other hand the opposition should refrain from the destructive form of politics,” he suggested.
-With The Independent input
