PM offers dialogue again

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her offer for a dialogue with the Opposition to break the political deadlock in the country.

She urged BNP chief Khaleda Zia to attend Parliament and place her proposal on the kind of administration to conduct the forthcoming parliament elections.

“My offer to hold dialogue is still open,” she said on Saturday adding that the government prefers talks to avoid violence.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has persistently rejected the Prime Minister's overtures for a dialogue to resolve the current impasse.

Sheikh Hasina-led government scrapped the interim government provision for conducting parliament polls through the 15th Amendment to the constitution after it came to power.

The Opposition wants the caretaker system to be restored and says an election held under the present government will not be 'free and fair'.

The BNP-led opposition had been on the streets ever since to back its demand.

“Please stop violence and attend Parliament sessions,” Hasina said addressing her arch political rival.

Hasina, also the Awami League chief, said the ruling party has the strength to respond to the opposition’s violence. “But, we don’t want violence.”

On May 2, the Prime Minister had asked the BNP chief to start talks to break the political deadlock.

In response, the BNP said it would not talk unless the caretaker system is restored. The ruling party said that was not possible.

Amid the standoff between the two leading political coalitions, various quarters pushed for a dialogue between the two leading ladies.

Later Khaleda rejected the offer while addressing a rally and issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government for accepting the caretaker demand.

Before that deadline expired, the radical Hifazat-e Islam, widely believed to be backed by BNP’s key ally Jamaat-e-Islami, ran amok during a blockade of the capital, leading to tough police action.

The Awami League described the May 5 violence during the so-called blockade as an attempt to topple the government.

When the BNP did not announce any fresh agitation after May 5, Prime Minister Hasina claimed the ultimatum had failed and asked the BNP chief to attend the budget session of the parliament.

The BNP has to attend the budget sessions if it wants to maintain its seats in the Parliament.

A seat in parliament becomes vacant if the MP does not attend the house for 90 business days. The BNP MP have been absent for 83 days now.

Awami League chief Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda have alternated as Prime Ministers since Bangladesh returned to democracy from military rule.