Awami League turns down BNP's call for talks on poll-time govt

Refusing the BNP’s call for talks on general election-time government, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said the ruling party does not see the need for any dialogue now.

He says a dialogue is required when there is a crisis.

The BNP made the call on Saturday in reaction to Friday’s speech by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the nation when she made it cleared that she would be heading the government during the next general election.

She also said an election-time government would be formed by reconstituting the Cabinet before the election.

In response to her speech, the BNP reiterated its call for talks on the issue as it says no election can be fair with Hasina in power and so it demands a neutral government during the polls.

Quader spoke at a press conference at the party chief’s Dhanmondi offices in the evening after BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with his party’s reaction to Hasina’s speech earlier in the day.

“There will be talks if necessary, but we don’t see any need for a dialogue now. The situation will tell us when to hold talks - if a crisis develops,” the Awami League leader said.

Asked how deep the crisis needed to be to push the Awami League to talks, Quader said, “The door for dialogue is not closed forever. Because the BNP already set its course towards the election. They have their representative to the Election Commission.

“So there will be no talks before the next election. We’ll consider the issue if needed,” he added.    

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Quader also hinted that his party was not eager to hold talks as it considered the BNP incapable of organising effective street agitation to push the country towards a crisis.

“They don’t have that much public support to create any crisis. The people won’t join the BNP’s movement,” he said.

“And if it chooses the path of the firebombing on vehicles, the people will prevent it. That will be a dialogue on the streets,” he added.

Quader also said the people, ‘including  BNP supporters’, hailed Hasina for her speech while the BNP leaders got frustrated.

“It's because they are afraid of defeat in the politics of voting,” he said.