The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahdilul Islam

Commerce and Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said the Government was taking preparations for holding the dialogue with political parties with a view to arrive at a consensus on pressing national issues.

"The Government will sit with the political parties immediately after the completion of preparation, for which we need sometimes," he told journalists after attending a ceremony at Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) at Gulshan in the city.

The BEI yesterday launched a report titled the "State of Democracy in South Asia".

"The Government will sit with each of the political parties separately," the Adviser said, adding that the Caretaker Government wants to present a vibrant and balanced economy to the next elected Government.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, who mooted the political dialogue on January 12, told Bangladeshi media team covering the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2008 in Davos in Switzerland on Saturday that the state of emergency would be lifted gradually, but the political parties have certain responsibilities and need to establish accountability through reforms.

The Chief Adviser's statement is being considered by front ranking political leaders as a precondition, which the political parties should have to agree upon during the political dialogue and they seem to be dismissive of his comment.

Acting President of the Awami League (AL) Zillur Rahman yesterday said his party would neither set any precondition to sit for dialogue with the Government nor join the talks if any precondition was set by the other side.

"Awami League will not go to the proposed dialogue with any precondition. We want successful dialogue for holding the parliamentary election in a free and fair manner," Zillur Rahman told journalists at his Gulshan residence after receiving relief materials from AL chapters of Italy and New Jersey, USA for Sidr victims.

Appreciating the Government for holding the political dialogue, the AL leader said holding the dialogue between the Government and political parties was mooted by the AL first.

"It is good that the Government has accepted our proposal," Zillur Rahman said, asserting, "The political parties should be allowed to move at their own will….And should not try to control the political parties."

Influential AL Presidium member Tofail Ahmed warned that the proposed political dialogue would not be successful if the Government sets precondition for political parties.

"I think the government is working as per demand of political parties," he said.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, earlier, said the two detained former Prime Ministers-BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and AL President Sheikh Hasina-should be freed and invited to the dialogue in order to ensure the success of the talks."Participation of the two former Prime Ministers will enrich the dialogue and make it successful," he told journalists, asking the Government to sit with the political parties immediately without any delay.

BNP Acting Secretary General Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed echoed the view expressed by the senior AL leaders, saying, "Political parties will not join the dialogue if there are any pre-condition set.

He, however, expressed the opinion that the state of emergency would not hamper the political dialogue.

But, pro-Khandaker Delwar BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan said the dialogue would not be successful if it was held under the state of emergency whether it was free of any precondition set by the Government or not.

Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain has urged the political parties to sit among themselves before going for the dialogue with the Government.

"The inter-party talks will help the political leaders to arrive at a political consensus on national issues and free the dialogue with the Government from possible complexities," the renowned arbitrator opined.