The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday hinted that they are going to boycott the dialogue and parliamentary elections sans their party chairperson, apparently in a coincidence with the Awami League stance.

"We have been saying repeatedly that without Khaleda Zia the dialogue with the government will carry no meaning. So joining the meaningless dialogue and election will have no worth," he said addressing a press conference at his NAM apartment residence at noon.

Asked by the journalists whether BNP will hold formal party meeting to settle the dialogue issue-the way another former ruling party, Awami League, did it-the BNP secretary general said his party has said time and again that without Khaleda Zia it would not attend the dialogue.

The BNP leadership's indication about conditional staying out from the ongoing dialogue came shortly after their once-arch-rival Awami League formally announced their decision that they wouldn't join the dialogue without AL chief Sheikh Hasina.

Delwar demanded release of both the detained former premiers-BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina-to allow them to lead their parties to the dialogue "for the sake of democracy".

Referring to commerce adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman's Tuesday's remarks that all political parties are expected to join in the dialogue, Delwar said, "An adviser should not give such statements without consulting all the political parties."

He alleged that the caretaker government resorted to dialogue process to impose its own thinking and desire on the political parties. "But such strategy will not be successful," he said.

The veteran politician suggested the government to hold the long-awaited election at the earliest as the only way out of the ongoing political crisis in the country.

He described the address of the Chief Adviser to the nation as "unacceptable and blurred" and demanded immediate and full withdrawal of the state of emergency.

The BNP leader loyal to the party chief reiterated their demand for presence of media during all types of talks with the government to ensure its transparency.

He termed the government-sponsored anticorruption drive an "evil attempt to depoliticize the country" rather than remove corruption.

"Government has failed to present appropriate evidences of corruption against many politicians now behind bars. In fact the anti-corruption drive has turned into anti-politics mission," he said in a swinging criticism of the reformist interim regime.

Delwar, who has replaced Mannan Bhuiyan, now in jail, amid a turmoil in the party over political reforms in the interim period, said there is no need of a national charter in Bangladesh as such charter can be an obstacle to bringing changes in the state machinery.

"The CA has said it is the national charter which will ensure a free and fair election. By such comments the CA has put a condition before the parties for holding the long-awaited election. Putting such condition is anti-constitution," he told the reporters.

Delwar further said holding local elections before the parliamentary polls would be clear violation of the constitution and, thus, "a crime".

"According to the Article 58 D (2) of the constitution, a caretaker government is supposed to only provide necessary assistance to the election commission in holding a free and fair general election. Hence, the caretaker government has no right to play any role in arranging local elections before the parliamentary one," he said.

BNP joint secretaries-general Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman, office secretary Rizvi Ahmed and some former MPs were present at the press conference.