Offer of dialogue on the polls-time government is still in place but it must centre around the constitution, said Awami League Presidium member Matia Chowdhury.
Matia, also the agriculture minister, made the government’s stance clear at a press conference at Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi office.
The party reiterated its earlier viewpoint on the election-time administration once again just a day after the prime minister phoned Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia inviting her to a dinner at Ganabhaban.
“We have very positive attitude to holding a dialogue; we want a peaceful solution as we believe that discussion is mandatory for democratic practice,” she said adding that Awami League was willing to move forward with an optimistic view.
“Awami League has not yet revoked the offer. We will try the best way forward for dialogue.”
About Khaleda Zia’s proposal for a polls-time government with the advisors from caretaker governments of 1996 and 2001, Matia said her proposal was not logical as some of the advisors had already died while some others are not physically capable. “Khaleda Zia does not have confidence in her party’s elected lawmakers. She doesn’t believe those elected on the party ticket. She always believes outsiders,” she observed.
The ongoing 60-hour hartal is unexpected, she said, as the prime minister responded to the 48-hour ultimatum of Khaleda Zia within 24 hours.
Khaleda Zia is making mistakes in counting numbers in recent times. She issued an ultimatum for 48 hours but her real ultimatum was shorter than that.
Earlier Khaleda branded the government as illegal from October 25 but later she changed it to October 27, Matia said.
In her address, the AL leader urged BNP to shun the path of destructive politics and recall the hartal for the sake of the country.
