At a moment when both the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP appear to be favourably inclined to begin dialogue over the holding of the next general election in a credible manner, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday renewed his
call for talks between the two warring parties.During a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni at his office in New York on Monday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the need for the political leaders of Bangladesh to engage in constructive dialogue with a view to defusing tension and resolving differences, including the governance arrangements during the upcoming election period.
The UN chief also reiterated his increasing concern about the recent wave of violence and underlined the need for all concerned to respect the law and express their views peacefully, stated the UN website.
The UN Secretary-General expressed his optimism over Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s offer for dialogue with the opposition on the modalities of an interim government during the next general elections and called upon all major political parties to engage in dialogue for creating a congenial atmosphere for holding free and fair elections as scheduled.
Dipu Moni assured the UN chief that the government’s offer for political dialogue on the modalities of election was very much on the table and expressed hope that opposition parties would respond to it.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of the ruling party held a series of informal meetings with senior party leaders after her meeting with the assistant UN secretary general for political affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco on Sunday to initiate the process of dialogue including drafting of a letter inviting the opposition to the dialogue. The letter would be finalised at a ‘brain-storming session’, to be held at Gonobhaban tonight”, a senior minister who is also a presidium member of the party told the Independent preferring anonymity.
It is learnt that the letter would be discussed at a meeting of the 14 party alliance on Wednesday after which it would be sent to the opposition leader.
Meanwhile, talking to newsmen, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday also underscored the need for dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties saying it is a must for bringing about qualitative changes in the political arena.
“Only a meaningful dialogue among the major political parties can resolve the country’s prevailing political standoff, including holding of the next general election under a non-party caretaker government (CG) oversight,” he said.
He was talking to reporters at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport before boarding a Bangladesh Biman flight for Singapore where he will undergo treatment.
“We, the nationalist partymen as well as the countrymen are expecting that a dialogue will be held soon to bring peace in peoples’ minds,” he added.
BNP chairperson and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia has agreed to sit across the table for dialogue with the ruling Awami League without any condition. Now the government should invite her for this purpose in a formal manner, Alamgir said.
-With The Independent input
