The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahidul Islam

The Election Commission yesterday invited both the rival factions of the BNP to sit today with it separately for the much-awaited talks on the electoral reforms, Commission officials said.

When contacted last evening, leaders of both the reformist and anti-reform groups of the immediate-past ruling party confirmed the development.

Meanwhile, the Government has intensified its preparations for holding the formal political dialogue with the political parties soon amid pre-conditions set by some major parties, including the Awami League (AL) and anti-reform BNP faction led by Khandaker Delwar Hossain.

The AL and the BNP, who together ruled the nation for over 25 years of its 37 years post-liberation history and successfully maneouvered the Caretaker Government to accept their terms to start the political dialogue, formally or otherwise, without any official conditionality were now setting tough pre-conditions, assuming that the administration would bow down to their pressure, as it was now facing mass resentment due to abnormal price hike of essentials-particularly of food stuff.

Main among the pre-conditions set by the AL and the anti-reform faction of the BNP includes the release of their detained party chiefs Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia respectively, who are now facing trial on separate corruption charges, and specific dates for the stalled general elections and the withdrawal of the state of emergency.

It may be mentioned here that the AL took part at least three post-liberation national elections (Presidential polls in 1978 and parliamentary elections in 1979 and 1986) under martial law, while the BNP was founded by a Chief Martial law Administrator (Gen Ziaur Rahman) during his rule amalgamating some political parties having contradictory ideological positions. The BNP won the elections to the Presidency of the Republic (1978) and Parliament (1978)

defeating the AL. The Jatiya Party formed by the other Chief Martial Law Administrator (Gen Ershad) had outweighed the AL in 1986 general elections.

BNP (anti-reform) Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain and AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam separately demanded of the Government to bring BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and AL President Sheikh Hasina, both of whom alternated as the Prime Ministers of the country during the last 16 years of elected political rule since the restoration of multi-party Parliamentary form of Democracy through the 1991 general elections, the first parliamentary polls held under a non-party neutral Caretaker Government, to the political dialogue after releasing them in order to ensure the success of the formal talks between the Government and the political parties.

Reiterating his party's demand, AL Acting President Zillur Rahman, who is one of the panel lawyers for Sheikh Hasina, yesterday told a party function that a free, fair and credible election was not possible without the participation of his party supremo. However, he would not say as to how the Government would release Sheikh Hasina, who is now an under trial prisoner and her freedom rests on the Court law.

In the meantime, Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday told journalists that the Government would be able to begin the formal political dialogue, which was delayed due to lawsuit filed by Begum Zia challenging the Election Commission's (EC's) letter of invitation to the leaders of the reformist faction, by this month (April) after completion of the ongoing pre-dialogues.

Echoing the same view, Commerce and Education Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, who is maintaining liaison with the political leaders on behalf of the Government, said they would try to bring all the political parties, including the anti-reform faction of the BNP to the dialogue table.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, after a meeting of the senior leaders of his faction of the BNP at his residence at the NAM Building, told journalists last night that they would join the talks with the EC today under the leadership of party Standing Committee member Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiki.

Former BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, the top reformist leader and now a Standing Committee member, told journalists after a meeting with M Saifur Rahman in the chair at the latter's Gulshan residence that they would join the talks with a renewed hope to bring about reforms in the electoral system and political parties with a view to establish an accountable democracy that would lead nation to unhindered development and prosperity.

Urging the leaders of the rival faction of the party top refrain from spreading venom, he said, "The unity of the BNP is now only a matter of time."

The anti-reform BNP would sit with the EC at 12:00 noon while the reformists at 4:00pm today at its Secretariat.

Terming as an important political development of this country, a senior diplomat of an influential western country expressed the hope that the ensuing formal dialogue between the Government and the political parties would be successful for the greater interest of this nation.