The ministers of the government are hopeful that the crisis over a polls-time government will be resolved by a dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties, if the opposition leader responds.
“The ball is now at Khaleda Zia’s court,” Communications Minister Obaidul Quader remarked.
“We hope she will respond positively. The people of the country want relief from uncertainty and unrest. We hope she will open the door of dialogue by accepting the premier’s invitation,” he said.
“Time is not a factor, if there is positive will and sincerity. Everything is possible if Khaleda responds,” he added.
However, he warned that the opposition would be foolish to think that the “sincerity” of the government was a weakness.
“They should join the dialogue without any condition. The success of dialogue depends on open-mindedness.”
The prime minister called the opposition leader to attend a discussion and dinner in Ganabhaban on Saturday evening and withdraw the hartal called by 18-party alliance.
Alliance chief Khaleda Zia accepted the proposal but told the premier that she could only join the dialogue after the 60-hour shutdown, if the government accepts their demand in principle.
Asked what would happen if Khaleda Zia did not join the dialogue, Quader said, “We do not want to say they will not come. There is no need be frustrated. We hope they will take it positively and join the dialogue to bring relief to people’s lives.”
Urging the opposition to join the dialogue unconditionally, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said the invitation that the prime minister had given to Khaleda Zia would remain valid.
“They can join the dialogue any time they want,” he said.
The minister said there were two proposals in the field of dialogue. The dialogue may discuss both the proposals, he said. The structure of the polls-time government would be decided by dialogue, he added.
Inu claimed that a conspiracy to destroy democracy was afoot.
Condemning the opposition’s hartal, Environment Minister Hassan Mahmud said the opposition leader was enforcing a hartal to destroy democracy, rejecting the prime minister’s call.
“The attack on the homes of ministers and justices is a sign that they want to destroy democracy,” he said.
However, the minister expressed his hope, saying, “We hope the opposition leader will take part in the discussion for holding a peaceful general election. Dialogue is the only key to resolve the crisis.”
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haq Tuku claimed Khaleda Zia was responsible for creating chaos, violence and killing during the hartal as she had continued the programme even after a call by the prime minister to hold dialogue.
“As far as I know, on Monday (on Monday) there is a hearing in Khaleda Zia’s case. She always calls hartal on the days when she has a hearing. She has called the hartal to avoid trial,” he told reporters at his office.
“Tarique Rahman, the son of the opposition leader, is also avoiding court like Khaleda Zia, despite being fully cured,” he added.
“Khaleda Zia did not keep her commitment. She was committed to the people about not holding the shutdown if the government initiated dialogue,” the state minister said.
“She also gave the commitment that the rally at Shuhrawardy Udyan would be peaceful, but they blasted bombs after the rally,” he added.
“The prime minister has called her and invited her to join a dialogue, in order to hold a peaceful election. She also requested her to withdraw the hartal. But Khaleda did not keep her commitment as the opposition does not want dialogue and peace. They want to save the war criminals. So they continued the hartal and attacked the media, VIPs and ministers,” he added.
Tuku urged Khaleda Zia to withdraw the hartal and join the dialogue to resolve the crisis of the polls-time government.
He said the hartal had been called to interrupt the democratic system and save the war criminals. “The attacks have also been committed for the same reason, so that the democratic system stop working,” he added.
Replying a to a query about Khaleda Zia’s remark that the government was illegal, the state minister said, “If the government is illegal then Khaleda Zia is also illegal as an opposition leader.”
