As a follow up to the meeting with BNP Chief Khaleda Zia President Abdul Hamid has asked Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam to engage in talks with Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir over the mode of polls-time administration.
The president talked to Syed Ashraful Islam after his conversation with Khaleda Zia on the night of November 19. Abdul Hamid made the “personal request” to make the elections “more acceptable,” said an Awami League leader.
The leaders involved in the process said the president had asked his political protégé Ashraf, who also hails from Abdul Hamid’s Kishoreganj district, to do so as he was constitutionally bound not to make any formal request of this sort.
The president told Ashraf that the ruling Awami League and BNP should engage in parley at a negotiating table to narrow down their differences over the restoration of the non-party caretaker government that would oversee the next polls.
At his meeting with the BNP delegation headed by Khaleda Zia the president said he had “constitutional limitations” to initiate anything as the country’s charter stipulates that the head of the state would discharge his duties in accordance with the suggestions of the prime minister.
According to the constitution, the president is free on two issues: appointments of the prime minister and the chief justice.
Khaleda Zia told the president that her party had full confidence on Abdul Hamid who could contribute to breaking the political deadlock over the debate of the election-time cabinet.
The president would enquire about whether the initiative is taken after his call to Syed Asharaful Islam, the AL leaders said.
The Bangabhaban (President’s Office) has conveyed minutes of the recent meeting between President Abdul Hamid and leaders of the 18-party alliance to the government, state-run news agency BSS reported on Thursday.
When asked, President’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim confirmed it [to BSS].
Meanwhile, at the Senakunja gathering Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was seen talking to BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, who was present at Senakunja, claimed Sheikh Hasina invited the BNP leader to a secretary-level dialogue between the two parties on the polls-time government.
Shahid told the Dhaka Tribune: “The premier told Fakhrul: ‘Come and join the polls. We will hold free, fair and credible elections.’”
Fakhrul was standing next to Shahid as he was talking to the media.
In the face of requests from journalists Fakhrul said they (he and PM) had “only exchanged greetings”.
BNP secretary general also told reporters: “We definitely will join a dialogue if the government takes initiative.”
Fakhurul, however, when contacted later over phone told the Dhaka Tribune: “What the chief whip said was it an official statement? Do they mean it?”
AL general secretary Ashsrf also attended the program. When the Dhaka Tribune asked him about the possibility of holding talks with the BNP secretary general he declined to say anything.
According to the constitution, the elections must take place by January 24 next year.
Meanwhile, Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque on Thursday at a discussion at National Press Club said they were frustrated at the president’s role in resolving the prevailing crisis.
The BNP leader also claimed people of the country expected that the president as a guardian of the state would take initiative for talks between the two parties to resolve the crisis.
“We are again requesting the president that time is not yet over. You take the initiative for compromise,” he said.