bdnews24.com :
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s comments at Suhrawardy Udyan will only impede possible talks, says Communication Minister Obaidul Quader.
“Her irresponsible remarks can only act as obstruction to a dialogue,” he told reporters after separate meetings with envoys of UK and South Korea on Tuesday.
Khaleda Zia addressing an 18-Party alliance rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Monday demanded fresh election after a quick dialogue with the government.
She blamed the government for staging attacks on minorities and claimed that security forces in Satkhira were committing ‘atrocities’.
The communication minister said Khaleda made a ‘very dangerous’ comment when she claimed there were many ‘unknown faces’ amongst the security forces and people were not sure if they belonged to them.
What she told the rally about persecution of Hindus was simply ‘unfortunate’, said Quader.
“We are beginning to give BNP their space. All forms of assistance were provided to them so that they could hold a peaceful rally yesterday.”
“The process to release leaders of BNP, who aren’t accused with grave and specific charges, has started.”
The minister claimed these were all indications of the government’s positive intentions. He said the BNP chairperson’s comment is a definite and untimely bump on the road to a consensus. “Begum Zia chose to make her comments at a time when we were beginning to allow them space.”
The Awami League leader said Khaleda, who was twice elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh, should not be so irresponsible in her speech.
He doubts if the government’s ‘desire to allow her party space’ will hold if she continued to make ‘such fiery and irresponsible comments’. “We also have pressures within our party and alliance.”
“She said, we are an illegal government,’ said Quader addressing the BNP chief. “Dialogue, on the other hand, is a legal process.” “How can she have legal dialogue with an illegal government? This is my question to her.”
The Awami League Presidium member thinks Bangladesh’s history is marked with ‘bloody tragedies’ which makes a ‘national consensus’ almost impossible to achieve.
“But still there should be a working understanding between political parties. The distances should be reduced and mutual space allowed,” he hoped.
