BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has suggested secretary-level talks between main opposition BNP and ruling Awami League to resolve the long-drawn political crisis in the country, says a UNB report that quoted a Chinese embassy media release.
“We’re ready to hold talks with the government on the election through a non-party neutral government. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam could represent the two sides,” Khaleda was quoted as saying in a meeting with Chinese ambassador in Dhaka at her Gulshan office Monday night.
Khaleda said BNP did not believe in violence, and they have always been carrying out programmes in peaceful ways.
In response, Chinese envoy Li Jun said he has noticed that recently BNP has been conducting mass contact programmes in peaceful ways. “I also see that BNP will have larger political movements after October 25. I believe these future programmes will also be peaceful.”
The Chinese envoy expressed concern on the current political stalemate in Bangladesh. “We have seen both BNP and Awami League agree that the coming election should be free, fair and inclusive, and leaders have showed their will to resolve the dispute through discussions.”
He said his country sincerely hoped that both parties could continue to show goodwill to each other, build trust and enlarge consensus, so as to create a sound environment for the next election.
When the Chinese envoy said terrorism is a major global threat and emphasized close international cooperation, Khaleda said if BNP assumed power in the next election, they would exercise zero tolerance to terrorism.
“The development of a country cannot be achieved without a stable surrounding environment,” the Chinese envoy said.
Khaleda said BNP would like to develop peaceful, equal and cooperative relationship with India and Myanmar and stressed that economic development, infrastructure building, investment promotion and education would be the policy priorities of BNP, according to the Chinese Embassy release.
She said as a time-tested and sincere friend, China was an important development partner for Bangladesh. “In the speech I made in Sylhet, I have publicly expressed my welcome to China’s involvement in Bangladesh economic development. We hope China could increase her investment in Bangladesh and establish an export processing zone.”
The envoy said, “The proposal of China-India-Myanmar-Bangladesh economic corridor, which include projects like Sonadia Deep Seaport, will help Bangladesh turn its geological advantage to economic and social competitiveness, and make Bangladesh a regional hub linking South Asia, Southeast Asia and China.”
The hour-long meeting that started around 8:40pm on Monday was held at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, BNP vice chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, who was present at the meeting, said matters of bilateral interests of the two countries were discussed at the meeting.
Terming China a genuine friend of Bangladesh, Khaleda, also the leader of the opposition in parliament, praised the significant role of the country in socioeconomic and infrastructural development of Bangladesh.
Both the BNP chief and the Chinese Ambassador hoped that the existing friendly ties between the two nations will be consolidated further in the days to come, Mobin said.
