BNP unresponsive to dialogue call: Ashraf

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has claimed that the BNP is looking for alternatives even though there are simpler ways to have a discussion to find a way out of the political deadlock.

The Awami League spokesperson stressed on the ‘reluctance’ of the main opposition at a discussion on Thursday, three days after Jatiya Party Chairman Hussein Muhammad Ershad sent two letters to the heads of the two major parties asking them to sit together and find a way to end the ongoing political crisis.

The BNP is not responding to the call for a dialogue despite the government’s sincerity, Ashraf said.

Analysts fear that a devastating political crisis is on the horizon with the conflicting stance of the Awami League and BNP over the nature of a government to oversee the next parliamentary elections.

Syed Ashraf earlier had called the opposition to sit for discussion. BNP had asked for an official invitation first, but recently its Chairperson Khaleda Zia had rebutted the possibility of any discussion with the government and called for tougher agitation to bring it down.

Ashraf on Thursday claimed the BNP was looking for an ‘unconstitutional’ way to return to power and the long march of Hifazat-e Islam from Chittagong to Dhaka was a part of it.

Awami League leader Mohammad Nasim had also said that a ‘plot’ was designed centring the Hifazat long-march to overthrow the Awami League-led government.

“The Awami League had started the process for the dialogue, but that move went in vain because of the opposition leader’s stance last week,” Ashraf, the LGRD Minister, told the discussion at the National Press Club.

“We said we are ready for discussion, unofficial talks are going on. The talks start slowly.”

“We were on the verge of having the main discussion. It was supposed to be held last week, but the BNP did not sit across the table (by conspiring over the Hifazat long march),” he said.

He also rejected the main opposition’s statement that the Awami League ‘does not’ want dialogue.

Ashraf said, “We think a resolution in line with the Constitution might be reached if we sit for talks.”

But there were still no ways to do anything by violating the court order which annulled the caretaker government system two years ago, he reminded the opposition.

“But the court’s verdict still left ways for reaching an agreement through discussion,” he added, urging the BNP to ’take the straight path’ instead of the ‘twisted one’.

The BNP and the Awami League will find a solution to the situation just like they did in the past through discussions, he hoped.

He said involving court in the political matters would not be right and added that the answer to the crisis was with the politicians. “Hifazat has no place in it.”

“Nothing can be gained through vandalism. Attempts to strike fear through the Hifazat will not work.”

Syed Ashr claimed, “The opposition was plotting to overthrow the government in four days by making Hifazat-e Islam to stay in Dhaka.”

“The BNP does not talk about caretaker system anymore. The BNP has taken their demand to Hifazat. The caretaker is not there.”

He said the main opposition spent millions of taka to finance the Hifazat programme. “Activists of BNP and Jamaat had gathered under the banner of Hifazat.”

Ashraf continued, “The country is passing a very important time. At least the next six months are extremely important for the country.”

“We are frightened, but not defeated. We have ideals, organisation. We are organised and have a leadership.”

He said Awami League was capable of tackling any kind of hostility. “But overconfidence is not good.”

Prime Minister Sjeikh Hasina was dealing with the situation very efficiently, he stressed. “We are 100 percent confident that the Awami League will be able to tackle anything just like it has done in the past.”

The LGRD Minister said, “The trials of the war criminals will be completed. Nothing will be able to stop this.”