The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahidul Islam

The Caretaker Government and leaders of different political parties, including the BNP and the Awami League, are now assessing each others' minds, following Saturday's announcement of the Chief Adviser.

Calling for dialogue with the political parties, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said his Government was in favour of holding the general election ahead of December and considering withdrawal of ban on indoor politics across the country and lifting the state of emergency in phases.

His announcement triggered various demands from senior leaders of different political parties, some of whom consider that the Caretaker Government was on the backfoot following its failure to prevent the recent abnormal price hike of the essentials, particularly of rice.

Senior political leaders, particularly of the two major political parties-the BNP and the Awami League (AL)-are since making new demands and setting pre-conditions for their joining in the proposed dialogue with the Government.

In a related development, the visiting Deputy Administrator of the USAID for Asia and Near East Mark Ward had a meeting with senior leaders of different political parties at the residence of US Charge de Affairs Geeta Pasi on Sunday.

AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, BNP (reformist) Acting Secretary General Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, BNP (anti-reform) Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan, Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Barrister Abdur Razzak and PDP Joint Convenor Abul Hasan Chowdhury, among others, attended the meeting, which reportedly reviewed the latest political situation in Bangladesh.

It, however, could not be ascertained as to whether the meeting between the US officials and political leaders would boost of the dialogue between the Caretaker Government and the political parties or it was only a diplomatic effort to asses situation of the country. After the Chief Adviser's announcement, most of the political leaders raised a common demand that the Caretaker Government announce the specific dates for the political dialogue, the withdrawal of restriction on indoor politics outside Dhaka and lifting the state of emergency.

They were also making public statements about the agenda of their respective political parties for the proposed dialogue.

Ahead of others, imprisoned AL President Sheikh Hasina demanded the Government to hold the general elections within April, leaving aside the polls-roadmap, which says the preparation of the voters' list with photograph would be completed by the end of June.

Top leaders of the AL and Secretaries General of both the factions of the BNP appeared to have been setting pre-condition that the state of emergency and the restriction on indoor politics across the country should be lifted before the dialogue so that a 'congenial' atmosphere is created for the talks.

AL Acting President Zillur Rahman and BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain separately demanded that the Government immediately released the two detained former Prime Ministers-Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia, who are also the chiefs of their respective parties, before the dialogue.

Although Zillur Rahman appeared to be softer as he said the prime agenda of his party for the political talks would be the release of Sheikh Hasina, if she was not freed before. Khandaker Delwar was tougher as he said his party would not join the dialogue if Begum Zia was not released.

When their attention was drawn to the political leaders' demand and pre-conditions, Communications and Public Works Adviser Major General Golam Quader and Primary and Mass Education Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury said the Government was considering the politicians' statements very positively.

Disclosing that the political dialogue would take place after the completion of the on going talks between the Election Commission (EC) and political parties and that the Council of Advisers would fix the agenda through discussion, they expressed the hope that the proposed dialogue would be successful.

"The state of emergency may go before or after the dialogue," General Golam Quader said, pleading the politicians to refrain from making such demands, which could not be implemented by the Government immediately.

"Our political leaders are very experienced…. They were in power in the past and will reign over the country after the elections. So, I am hopeful that they would not place such demands, which may foil the entire initiative," he added.

Rasheda K Chowdhury said the Government was assessing the minds of the political leaders through studying their statements, taking them positively.

Expressing the hope that the political parties would join the dialogue, a western diplomat yesterday told The New Nation that politicians always make high demands before joining dialogues with the Government.

"There will be some give and take between the two sides and the dialogue will take place, as there is no alternative," he observed.

When contacted, BNP Acting Secretary General Major Hafizuddin Ahmed and AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta yesterday urged the Election Commission to complete its talks with political parties in order to pave the way for the political dialogue.