The New Nation - Internet Edition

Desk Report

Awami League presidium yesterday demanded of the caretaker government to start the proposed dialogue immediately with political parties to avert conflicts.

"Where there is no dialogue, there is no way to reach a solution, except conflict. We want a meaningful dialogue through which a national consensus could be reached," acting party general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters after the meeting.

The meeting, chaired by acting AL president Zillur Rahman, appreciated the government for its decision not to set any precondition and agenda for the proposed dialogue with political parties as the main target of the dialogue is to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a meaningful election.

The meeting expressed deep concern over the record high prices of essentials and asked the government to take effective steps to bring down the prices.

It demanded immediate release of its detained president Sheikh Hasina for her treatment in the USA. "We hope that our leader must be freed through a legal battle and we'll participate in the national election under her leadership and win it," Ashraf said.The AL presidium, the highest policymaking body of the party, asked the caretaker government to lift the state of emergency immediately and the ban on indoor politics across the country.

Party presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofael Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and Begum Matia Chowdhury were present at the meeting held at Zillur Rahman's Gulshan residence.