The Awami League has agreed to a request from the newly formed political alliance Jatiya Oikya Front to hold a dialogue over the upcoming 11th general election.
Ruling party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took the decision at an informal meeting of the party leaders following the weekly Cabinet meeting, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader told reporters on yesterday afternoon.
“We want Jatiya Oikya Front to know that the Awami League will join a dialogue with them,” he said at a press briefing held at the party president’s political office in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed Oikya Front leader Dr Kamal Hossain’s letter to her at the meeting with senior leaders and later the decision to sit with them [Oikya Front] was taken,” he said.
Oikya Front leaders would soon be informed about the date and venue of the dialogue, added Quader.
He, however, stressed that the Awami League was not going to hold talks with Oikya Front leaders due to pressure and this dialogue was not some condition they were meeting before the election.
On Sunday, Dr Kamal-led Jatiya Oikya Front sent letters to the prime minister and Quader, urging the ruling party to engage in dialogue over different issues related to the national polls.
In the letter to Hasina, Kamal had mentioned Oikya Front’s seven-point charter of demands and 11 goals to overcome the current political crisis.“Oikya Front feels the urgency for having a meaningful dialogue with the Awami League to hold an inclusive and competitive election in a peaceful and congenial atmosphere. We expect your initiative in this regard,” wrote the eminent jurist, who also leads Gono Forum.
On October 13, BNP, Gono Forum, Nagorik Oikya and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) together launched the Jatiya Oikya Front.
Since then, they have been pressing the government to meet their demands, which include holding the general election under an impartial government, release of BNP chief Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners, dissolution of parliament before the announcement of an election schedule, resignation of the government, no electronic voting machines in the polls, and reformation of the Election Commission.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader addresses a press briefing at the party president’s political office in Dhaka's Dhanmondi on October 29, 2018 | Courtesy
Talks at Ganabhaban?
Yesterday evening, Obaidul Quader also extended a formal invitation for the dialogue verbally to Oikya Front’s Steering Committee member and Gono Forum General Secretary Mostofa Mohsin Montu.
Quader called Montu over phone a little after 8pm and enquired about how many alliance leaders would attend the talks, reports the Bangla Tribune.
In response, Montu told him that a 15 to 20-member delegation of Oikya Front might take part in the dialogue.
Quader, however, did not say when or where the dialogue would take place.
Also Read- Jatiya Oikya Front sends letter to PM to press home 7-point demand
But Montu and different sources from both the Awami League and Oikya Front told the Bangla Tribune that the ruling party general secretary will share all the details with the alliance’s leadership today.
Sources from both sides also hinted that the talks could be held at Ganabhaban, the official residence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Dhaka Tribune, however, could not confirm the information independently.
Oikya Front welcomes PM’s decision
Meanwhile, Jatiya Oikya Front leaders welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s decision to hold a dialogue with them.
“We welcome the prime minister’s decision to invite us for a dialogue,” said senior BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed, hours after the ruling party’s announcement.
“We will respond to her call once we are formally notified about the date and time,” he told reporters after a meeting of the coalition’s Steering Committee at his chamber at Motijheel.
After the Awami League accepted their call, the Oikya Front also cancelled their plan to meet Election Commission officials today.
BNP has long been urging its arch-political rival Awami League to hold a dialogue, but their calls were always rejected.
Jatiya Oikya Front leaders at the meeting of the alliance’s Steering Committee held at the chamber of BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, first from right, on Monday | Dhaka Tribune
But the prime minister’s latest decision to hold a dialogue with Oikya Front, in which BNP is a major element, is a new development that comes at a time when BNP chief Khaleda is in jail following her conviction in a corruption case.
“Sheikh Hasina’s doors are always open to everyone,” Obaidul Quader, who is also the road transport and bridges minister, told reporters yesterday.
“We do not surrender facing pressure from others. We did not ask anyone for dialogue. They [Oikya Front] wanted it. Dialogue is open for all and that is why we agreed to sit with them,” he said.
Prior to the 10th parliamentary polls, then United Nations assistant secretary general for political affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco had visited Dhaka to mediate a dialogue between the Awami League and BNP in December 2013.
During his visit, he had met with the Awami League, BNP, Election Commission, civil society leaders and diplomats. However, BNP later boycotted that election.
