Opposition leader Khaleda Zia has held out her hope that the initiative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for dialogue between the two major parties on
election-time government would lead to an acceptable solution.
The opposition leader who is also the chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expressed her optimism during a meeting with the visiting UN delegation led by its assistant secretary-general for political affairs, Oscar Fernández-Taranco at her Gulshan residence in the afternoon.
Briefing newsmen following their meeting that lasted for about 90 minutes, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said the opposition leader welcomed the UN initiative for persuading the Bangladeshi politicians to reach an agreement for talks and formation of a poll-time government in the country.
“The discussion is going on and it would continue. The opposition leader has appreciated the UN initiative for helping political parties in Bangladesh reach a consensus,” he said adding that the BNP leader also hoped that a solution to the political stalemate could be found and the ongoing crisis would be resolved through talks.
BNP leader DR Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moeen Khan, opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque, BNP chairperson’s adviser Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed, among others, were present at the meeting.
It was the second meeting of the UN delegation members with the opposition leader hours before they left Dhaka. Earlier on Saturday evening, the delegation called on the opposition leader at her Gulshan office.
During the four-day visit to Bangladesh, the UN delegation also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed, leaders of Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami and civil society. The delegation carried two separate letters from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for the two leaders of the ruling and opposition
parties.
Oscar Fernández-Taranco arrived in Dhaka on Friday as an envoy of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to assess the pre-poll atmosphere in Bangladesh and exchange views with the stakeholders ahead of the next general election to be held later this year or early next year.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed on Monday alleged that the government is not sincere about dialogue on election-time government as they are uttering the issue repeatedly just to make the foreigners happy and mislead the people.
Addressing a discussion meeting at the National Press Club on “Responsibilities of the Nationalist Forces to Overcome the Ongoing Political Crisis,” he said the BNP would welcome any offer for dialogue on non-party caretaker government.
The BNP leader accused the government of telling the foreigners about their eagerness for a dialogue on the one hand and arresting the opposition leaders and workers and raiding their houses on the other.
“The government did not allow the opposition BNP to hold a rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office. The contradictory acts of the government proved that it is not serious about the talks,” he added.
The meeting organised by Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sanskritik Gabeshana Parishad was held with its president Fakhrul Islam Robin. Shahid Ullah Majumder, among others, also addressed, the meeting Barrister Moudud said it is the responsibility of the government to create an atmosphere for talks. The BNP is ready to sit down for a dialogue any time either in parliament or outside if the government sends its offer with specific agenda, he added.
He urged the government to create a congenial atmosphere for talks by releasing opposition leaders and activists and withdrawing the “false” cases filed against them.
Meanwhile, the city unit of BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance has deferred its Monday’s rally to Wednesday as police didn’t give permission to organise it.
BNP chairperson’s adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu said this while briefing reporters at party headquarters at Naya Paltan in the city.
Criticizing the government for not giving permission to hold rally, the BNP leader called upon it to allow everybody to speak and create a congenial environment for talks over an election-time government.
Dudu also criticised the government for freeing two detained bloggers saying that it would create a bad impact on social order.
He alleged that the government is indiscriminately arresting Qaumi madrasah students across the country and carrying out repression on opposition leaders and activists.
BNP leaders—Abdus Salam, Khairul Kabir Khokon and Shirin Sultana, among others, were present at the press
briefing.
-With The Independent input
