BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party will not engage in any dialogue with Awami League until the party quits power and announces to hold the next polls under a caretaker government, reports UNB.
“We don’t want to participate in talks in any format until the government announces that the next election will be held under a neutral or caretaker government, whatever you call it. The government must announce this first and then quit power,” he said.
Otherwise, the BNP leader said there’s no question of any dialogue with the Awami League.
Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with the liaison committee of the 12-party alliance at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman said there would be no dialogue with BNP on the caretaker government system which has been abolished by the court.
Fakhrul said all the people of the country would be happy if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns for the sake of a credible national election under a non-partisan neutral government, showing her love for the country.
“We’ll welcome Awami League if it comes to power again through an election under a non-party neutral government,” the BNP leader said.
He said the Prime Minister said she can make any kind of sacrifice for the country. “It’s not her true comment when she wants to hold the election staying in power.”
Fakhrul said the next election will be very important for the nation as it will determine whether the country’s existence and independence remain intact or not.
He said political parties in the past took decisions considering the consensus of the people and arranged elections going beyond the constitution. ”If she (Prime Minister) wants to make sacrifices for the country, then she takes steps for that (caretaker government).”
The BNP leader said they have been carrying out a simultaneous movement peacefully with 36 opposition parties to restore democracy and all democratic rights.
“Our movement has already come to the final stage. This year is very important for us since Awami League is again moving ahead with an aim to hold a stage-managed election. The country’s people will never accept that type of election,” he observed.
Fakhrul said they have been working to realise their all demands. “We’ll soon announce our next course of action to give the movement a final shape.”
Mostafa Jamal Haider, the chairman of the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) and convener of the 12-party alliance, said they finalised a framework of their future movement and programmes through the discussions in the meeting. “We’ve taken many important decisions in the meeting but we’re not disclosing it now.”
Syed Muhammad Ibrahim Bir Protik, the chairman of the Kalyan Party and a leader of the 12-party, said they decided to launch the one-point movement to oust the current government.
He said the detailed plans for the one-point movement will be unveiled later after discussions with all parties.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
