Awami League advisory committee member Suranjit Sengupta yesterday slated civil society members for their initiative to arrange a dialogue between the government and the BNP, terming the effort a great mistake.
“They made a great mistake...The civil society members failed to prove their neutrality as they had only requested President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to initiate the dialogue. But they had not urged the BNP chairperson to stop violence,” he said.
“Holding a political dialogue demands a peaceful environment and also a level-playing field. ATM Shamsul Huda and several others called for a dialogue at a time when terrorists were killing innocent people without any reason,” Suranjit said at a discussion meeting organised by the Nouka Samarthak Goshthi, a ruling party affiliated front.
He said the demand for a general election by the BNP-Jamaat cannot be met right now as it will be held in 2019 as per the constitution; there is no alternative way.
“Jamaat wants to convert Bangladesh into Pakistan. So, BNP should break its tie with Jamaat. You [BNP] should not carry out jamaat’s agendas,” he said.
In the same note, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son and ICT adviser of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, alleged that the civil society members are indirectly helping terrorists who are burning people alive.
On his official Facebook page he wrote yesterday afternoon that the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami had been committing a “heinous and horrific” act by setting innocent civilians, including women and children, on fire.
He reminded that it was prohibited by the Geneva Convention even during war; hence it is a war crime.
He asked the civil society members to visit the burn units at the hospitals and then call on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to stop burning people alive unconditionally before requesting for a dialogue.
“If you do not have the courage to say that, then keep your mouth shut. By demanding dialogue, you are giving these terrorists hope that their tactics might work. By blaming both sides you are trying to divert blame away from them,” said Joy.
A platform comprising civil society members recently wrote to President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the BNP chairperson, urging them to take steps to initiate talks in order to put an end to the ongoing political unrest.
