Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has decided to sit in dialogue with the opposition political parties to formulate a united movement centering the upcoming national elections. They have also decided to sit in the dialogue with Jamaat-e-Islami like other political parties.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir informed the Standing Committee decision to reporters at a press conference held at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan on Tuesday.
The party’s Standing Committee meeting was held on Monday chaired by its acting-Chairman Tarique Rahman. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “The standing committee meeting has decided to formally start talks with the political parties in a view to build national unity to meet their demand restoration of democracy. We will start this dialogue from today (Tuesday). A united movement will be outlined in the context of discussions with the political parties.”
Asked whether the talks would be with the 20-party alliance or other parties as well, Mirza Fakhrul replied, “We will discuss with everyone.”
When his attention was drawn if they would be with Jamaat-e-Islami, Fakhrul said, “Of course, we have to talk to them. What will be if you do not talk to them? We have to talk to everyone.”
Asked whether there will be 20-party alliance, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “We have not abolished the 20-party alliance till now. What will happen to this alliance and the fate of the alliance will be finalized through this discussion.”
Asked about the purpose of the dialogue, the BNP Secretary General said, “The main purpose of this discussion is to restore the country’s democracy. The present fascist government has taken away all the rights of the people including the voting rights. It has destroyed the country’s economy. Our main goal is to bring back all the destroyed institutions, to restore the rights of the people and to establish the right to vote.”
Mirza Fakhru said, their main demands includes-the release of all political prisoners including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, this government must resign and hand over power to a non-partisan neutral government, Parliament must be dissolved and then a free and fair election must be held after the reconstituted the Election Commission.
Asked what will be the name of this alliance, the BNP Secretary General said, “We are not calling it an alliance or anything else. The format will be finalized through discussion.”
He said, BNP and its affiliated organization and country’s senior citizen will hold a joint protest rally on May 26 in all metropolitan and district headquarters except Dhaka in protest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s remarks about BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
As part of the dialogue, BNP’s senior leaders attended a discussion meeting with Nagorik Oikya leaders at its Topkhana Road office in the city on Tuesday evening.
