Debate for Democracy
A public parliament titled ‘Need for Political Dialogue before National Polls’ organised by Debate for Democracy was held at Bangladesh Film Development Corporation in the city’s Tejgaon on Saturday. Awami League (AL) Advisory Council member and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed was present as the chief guest. While speaking Tofail ruled out the possibility of holding dialogue between ruling party AL and BNP before national election as previous dialogues between the two parties could not yield any success. “Dialogue was held between Abdul Jalil (the then AL General Secretary) and Mannan Bhuiyan (the then BNP Secretary General), but it could not be successful. Later, many dialogues were held but results were not good,” he told The veteran AL leader said the then opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia called for political dialogue between the two parties before the January 5 election in 2014. Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina started a process of holding dialogue but Khaleda Zia did not respond to it, he said. Tofail said BNP has made a mistake as it did not take part in the general election on January 5 in 2014 and did not respond to the call of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He urged BNP to take preparation for the next polls as it will be held under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in late 2018 or early 2019, he said. Chairman of the organisation Hasan Ahmed Kiran presided over the function.
Bangladesh Krishak League
A discussion on ‘Amar Ekushey and also International Mother Language Day’ organised by Bangladesh Krishak League (BKL) was held in the auditorium of Jatiya Grantha Kendra in the city on Saturday. Agriculture Minister and Awami League Presidium Member Begum Matia Chowdhury was present as the chief guest. While speaking Matia said BNP activists killed innocent people with petrol bombs as they believed in terrorism, not people’s support. “BNP depends on terrorists, not people. So they killed innocent people hurling petrol bombs,” she added. Matia also criticized the BNP’s reaction to the judgment of a Canadian court that called BNP a terrorist organisation. “BNP alleged that the government had influenced the verdict. Only insane people can make such allegation,” she further said. Referring to the bringing back of the fugitive killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Canada, the minister said the killers could not be brought back as there was no provision in Canada to extradite people who would face death penalty.The senior party leader recalled theuncompromising struggle of Bangabandhu and his elder daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s efforts for getting the Shaheed Day recognized as International Mother Language Day. BKL President Mohammad Motahar Hossain Molla presided over the programme.
