In response to prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s remarks on dialogue and consensus over the 11th parliamentary polls, Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday said it saw no chances of a consensus in future if the ruling party did not change its stubborn attitude. The BNP said the prime minister had made the statement to ‘mislead’ the people. The party’s standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan on Friday told New Age that holding of a free, fair and inclusive election under a non-party neutral government remained the opposition’s demand.
He asked if there was any guarantee that the Awami League would change its attitude and accept the demand in future. How could there be a consensus if Awami
League does not change such attitude, he asked when approached for comments on the prime minister’s statement on Thursday.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina addressing a meeting at Ganabhaban on Thursday said mid-term polls could be held after the 10th parliamentary elections by dissolving parliament if the AL and BNP reached an understanding through the current discussions but added that Khaleda Zia must stop blockades, hartals and repression and sever ties with Jamaat-e-Islami.
Nazrul, who is acting as BNP spokesperson, said if the government was willing for a consensus there was no need to stage the drama on the 10th parliamentary election. He said the 10th parliamentary poll could still be held afresh through a consensus by amending the constitution if necessary.
He said a system acceptable to all should be found out through discussions for the 10th parliamentary elections so that all parties could participate in it. He said the prime minister had made the statement after uncontested elections to a majority of the parliamentary constituencies.
Nazrul said the statement was made to ‘mislead’ the people and blamed the government for failure of the United Nations mediated talks between Awami League and BNP.
About the prime minister’s call for BNP to sever relation with Jamaat-e-Islami, he said it did not make any sense. The people through election would decide which party would remain with which party or not. The people would decide which party they would boycott, he added.
-With New Age input
