US Ambassador Peter Haas met with the minister on Wednesday and urged the government to talk to the opposition amid recent unrest
Published : 15 Nov 2023, 12:16 PM
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader says he sees little possibility of dialogue among the major political parties in Bangladesh after receiving a letter from US Ambassador Peter Haas on the matter.
Haas visited the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges at the Secretariat on Wednesday and handed over the letter to Quader. He spoke to the minister for about half an hour.
Afterwards, Quader told reporters that he will discuss the letter with party president Sheikh Hasina and others in the party.
But Quader later said that there are no concerns about dialogue anymore as it is too late.
When asked whether there is room for dialogue, Quader said, "How can I say that? No democratic party that practices democracy can say that it does not want dialogue. But today the election date is being announced. When will you hold a dialogue? That is what I said."
Referring to the content of his meeting with the Haas, Quader said, "He asked for a free, fair, and peaceful election and to hold a dialogue without pre-conditions. That was the main point. My party's president and my colleagues on the executive committee need to discuss this letter. If i have to respond, I will respond with the party's views in mind."
Asked whether the Awami League was envisioning an election the BNP would take part in, Quader said, "That is not part of our thinking at the moment. It was previously. But that time has passed."
Haas told the media after the meeting that the US had sent statements to all the political parties noting that the country would remain impartial in the coming elections and that they would not take the side of any political party.
The US wants peaceful, free, and fair elections and an end to the violence for a proper election environment, he said. He also called for unconditional talks between the parties.