Staff Reporter :Political leaders, civil society representatives and professionals at a roundtable discussion on Saturday said that a national dialogue is now very much needed to end the current political impasse in the country and for the national unity. They urged President Abdul Hamid to take the step for holding the dialogue. The dialogue must ensure participation of all political parties, they said.Jatiya Oikya Prokria (Process of National Unity), an initiative of Gono Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain, arranged the roundtable titled “National Dialogue to Resolve Current National Crisis” at the Institution of Engineers’ Bangladesh (IEB) in the city.Participants of the roundtable said that the government has to be compelled for holding dialogue. Terming the current situation unusual, they demanded a peaceful solution to the ongoing situation. Permanent solution is needed to some issues such as holding a free, fair and participatory election and strengthening the Election Commission, they said.They further said that if the two sides are adamant on their respective stances and they fail to reach a compromise, then the civil society members have to come forward. They placed a proposal in this regard. The proposal is-a committee will be formed by three to five acceptable citizens.The committee will begin the process of holding national dialogue through discussing with the two sides. If it is not possible, they will go to the President.Alongside with Dr Kamal, former advisers to the caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Rasheda K Chowdhury and CM Shafi Sami, former Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, secretary of Sujon Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, president of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) ASM Abdur Rob, chief of Socialist Party of Bangladesh Khlequzzaman, secretary general of Bikapadhara Bangladesh Abdul Mannan, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former police chief Nurul Huda, Dhaka University professors Dr Syed Anwar Hosain and Dr Rubayet Ferdous took part in the discussion, among others. Former adviser to the caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan chaired the function and Supreme Court’s lawyer Dr Shah-deen Malik moderated it, while convener of Nagarik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna presented the keynote paper.In his keynote, Manna said “Talks must be held between the representatives of political parties and people from all walks of life.”Dr Kamal said the nation is now facing a big challenge. The 16 crore people of the country have to be united to face the challenge, he said. He also said that the national consensus is very much needed for the sake of the country. Akbar Ali Khan said that dialogue can resolve the crisis. It seems that the two major political parties won’t sit for talks. If the dialogue is not held, it will bring serious impact for the country, he added. He urged the civil society members to come forward for a solution if the two sides fail. He called upon the politicians of the Awami League and the BNP to abstain from using bad languages aiming at each other for a week in a bid to hold a political dialogue. Then an ideal environment for dialogue might be created. “No other civilized country’s politicians use such bad languages,” he said. M Hafizuddin Khan said that the civil society members have to take the initiative that political parties would shun the path of violence. As country’s guardian, President Abdul Hamid has to take the initiative of holding national dialogue to end the ongoing crisis. Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said that the ongoing crisis is a political crisis and it has to resolve politically. Rubayet Ferdous said that President is the president of the country. He must come out of partisan attitude and take the initiative to end the current impasse. Rasheda K Chowdhury said that people of the country now want a solution. The government should hear the people’ voice. The country cannot be ruled effectively ignoring public opinion, she said. Mujahidul Islam Selim said that one side is giving order to open fire while the other side is resorting to petrol bomb. People of this country are not favouring the violence from the two sides.SM Abdur Rob criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for giving the order of fire. The PM can’t deliver such order, he said.
