The leaders of two left political parties – Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) – recommended that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina take initiatives to hold a participatory election under a non-party government.
The two parties, working to mobilise an alternative platform of left parties beyond the AL and the BNP, also viewed that the prime minister would have to show responsible approach, sources said.
Senior leaders of the two parties made the observations at a meeting with the prime minister at her official residence Ganabhaban last night. The meeting was held as part of the AL chief’s series of meetings with political parties to gather opinion about formation of an all-party polls-time government she had proposed recently. Hasina earlier sat with ruling government allies.
The premier also invited main opposition BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday for talks at the Ganabhaban. The BNP also demands that the next general elections must be held under a neutral government.
At the meeting, the CPB and BSD placed nine-point demands that include lifting ban on political activities immediately, banning anti-liberation Jamaat-e-Islami, resisting anarchic activities of Jamaat and implementing the verdicts in war crimes cases.
Sources in the meeting told the Dhaka Tribune that the two left parties urged Hasina to hold elections under a caretaker government for the next two terms in accordance with the short verdict delivered by the Supreme Court to make the next polls participatory.
Replying to the suggestion, the prime minister assured them that she would try her best to make it participatory in line with the constitutional provisions.
The government in 2011 annulled the caretaker government provision in line with the court verdict which in its observation also stated that the next two terms could be held under unelected rulers for the sake of peace and law and order.
The left leaders also told the premier that unilateral election would not give any solution and that the nation had bitter experiences in 1986, 1988 and 1996 elections.
The CPB and BSD also urged the premier to refrain from implementing the 1,320MW coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans in Rampal of Bagerhat district. Hasina inaugurated work of the controversial project earlier this month.
The delegation included CPB leaders Mujahidul Islam Selim, Manzurul Ahsan Khan, Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed, Mohammad Shah Alam, Haider Akbar Khan Rano, Shamsuzzaman Selim, Lakshmi Chakrabarty, Ahsan Habib Lablu, Ruhin Hossain Prince and Aniruddha Das Anjan and BSD leaders Khalequzzaman, Zahidul Haque Milu, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Razequzzaman Ratan and Rawshan Ara Russo.
Senior AL leaders including party General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam were also present.
In her introductory speech, Hasina stressed the need for continuation of democratic process for the country’s development. She also appraised the role of the left-lining parties in all democratic movements of the country.
The leaders of CPB-BSD will meet the BNP chief this evening at her Gulshan office.
