The United Kingdom and the United States have welcomed the indications of willingness by the ruling party and the opposition to have a dialogue for resolving the impasse over the election period government. “We welcome the announcement of the Honourable Prime Minister and other indications from political leaders over the last few days that the door for dialogue is open,” British High Commissioner to Dhaka Robert Gibson said in an email communication on Sunday while responding to queries regarding the Prime Minister’s speech and ban on rallies and meetings in the capital.
In her nationwide address on Friday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposed the formation of an all-party government to oversee the upcoming general elections, saying that the door for dialogue with the opposition was open.
“We urge parties to seize this opportunity, to negotiate in good faith, to show flexibility and to put the interests of the country first,” Gibson said.
He also said, “It is not for the United Kingdom to dictate what shape or composition an interim administration should have. What matters is that it should ensure the neutrality of the electoral process and that the people of Bangladesh are able to elect the Government that they want.”
“We have encouraged dialogue between the Government and Opposition to create the conditions for such an election to take place,” said the UK High Commissioner
“We are encouraged by indications of a willingness by both parties to engage in meaningful dialogue,” Kelly McCarthy, press and information at the US Embassy in Dhaka told The Independent in an email communication when comments were sought about the Prime Minister’s speech and ban on rallies and meetings in the capital.
-With The Independent input
