There is no alternative to dialogue between the government and opposition for holding the next general elections in a credible manner, and to get rid of the ongoing violence in the country, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni told foreign diplomats on Sunday. She also said that the sooner the dialogue was held the better it would be for the nation. However, Dipu Moni reminded that the provision of caretaker government had been removed from the Constitution on the basis of a Supreme Court verdict and this decision was irreversible.
“I would like to reiterate in this forum that there is no alternative to dialogue and the sooner the Opposition accepts the offer for dialogue that remains on the table, the better it would be for the nation to get out of the spiral of violence that we have been witnessing over the past few months,” the Foreign Minister said while briefing members of the diplomatic corps at the Foreign Ministry. The briefing was organised to apprise the diplomats of the events of May 5-6 during the Hefazat-e-Islam’s assembly at the Shapla Square in Motijheel.
“It is often said that the space for such unfortunate incidents has been created due to the absence of any meaningful dialogue between the Government and Opposition, especially on the issues of the modalities for holding the next general elections,” she said.
Mentioning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s offer for a dialogue, Dipu Moni said that the government had never refused or shied away from the prospects of a dialogue.
“The Prime Minister has also urged the Opposition to join the next Parliament Session in June and raise their demands for what they consider should be modalities for holding free, fair and credible elections within the Constitutional framework,” she said.
Criticising the opposition for imposing conditions for the dialogue, Dipu Moni said that the opposition’s 48-hour ultimatum had taken the country back to “a situation where sheer political expedience and intransigence tend to prevail over the progress, well-being and democratic rights of our people.”
“Our Government would like to bring about a qualitative change in our political culture, but without our gestures for dialogue and engagement being reciprocated, there is precious little that we can do to make them happen in any purposeful manner,” she said.
She added, “It may be helpful to recall here that the caretaker government provision had been removed from the Constitution on the basis of a Supreme Court verdict and following lengthy Parliamentary deliberations. Such judicial decisions from the highest Court, as you would all agree, are irreversible in nature and must be complied with.”
The Foreign Minister said, “We are confident that an Election Commission, which has held 5,636 elections at different tiers of the Government in the last four years without a single incident of controversy or mismanagement around them, would also be able to deliver free, fair and credible elections with the support an interim government comprising elected representatives.”
\“It is high time for the sound health and sustainability of Bangladesh’s democratic culture that we take the next critical step towards holding national elections under a political dispensation managed by elected people, as is the norm of established Parliamentary Democracies around the world,” she said.
About the action of law enforcers on Hefazat’s gathering, Dipu Moni said that it had become absolutely necessary to conduct the operation. “Since no lethal or less lethal weapons were used during the operation, there was hardly any scope for casualty in the hands of the law enforcement agencies,” she said.
Though the briefing was organised to inform about the events at Shapla Square, diplomats did not ask the Foreign Minister any questions regarding those events and Hefazat-e-Islam.
Diplomats from European Union, Germany, Italy and Canada put forward questions regarding upcoming elections, Savar Tragedy and the image of the country with particular reference to readymade garment sector.
-With The Independent input
