The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Government is planning to take the dialogue to the district and upazila levels in order to make it a success with the participation of the citizens' and professional groups of the grassroots.

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman disclosed this at a joint briefing yesterday after the talks between the Government and Gano Forum (GF) led by Dr Kamal Hossain at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) in the capital.

GF President Dr Kamal Hossain, who was leading an 11-member party delegation, placed a package of proposals, including the formation of a government of national consensus after the general elections, like that of the first multi-racial national government of South Africa led by President Nelson Mandela, popularly known as the most prominent anti-apartheid leader in the contemporary world.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed led a delegation of Advisers of his Caretaker Government during the moot at its seventh sessions with political parties.

Other proposals placed by the GF Chief included formation of a Constitution Review Commission to update the Constitution, relaxing the state of emergency progressively phase by phase till total withdrawal before the general elections, holding free, fair and credible elections after eliminating influence of black money and muscle power in politics and encouraging honest and dedicated people to participate in polls.

The party also demanded 'proper and effective" steps to try the alleged 71 war criminals immediately during the talks.

Moving his proposal to form a government of national consensus, Dr Kamal Hossain, who was Chairman of internal committee of experts to prepare the politico-legal framework for the South African transition to multi-racial consensus and democracy from apartheid, said such a government could be formed by like minded parties after the elections on the basis of consensus document announced by the 14-party alliance and other political parties in 2004.

"Even those who had forced Mandela to jail were inducted to his cabinet after the post-apartheid period in South Africa," he told joint press briefing after the 2-hour dialogue on pre- and post-election issues.

Dr Kamal said they want that the winning parties after the elections would form a government of national consensus on the basis of consultations to introduce healthy politics and good governance in the country.

Stressing the need for on holding the general elections in the 3rd week of December, he said the Chief Adviser's commitment made through his address to the nation should be regarded as "a firm national commitment" and hoped the Chief Adviser would keep his commitment.

On lifting of the 16-month-old state of emergency, he said the emergency must be progressively relaxed to create an environment of confidence and security for free and fair election and it must be withdrawn completely well before the election.

Dr Kamal also suggested formation of a Constitutional Review Commission to make proposals on Constitution reforms to be considered by next parliament.

Recounting objectives of the movement since 2004, the Gano Forum president said his party along with other democracy-minded parties launched movement to reach national consensus for establishing functioning democracy.

He said that in 2005, allies of the 14-party combine signed an agreement to ensure general elections free from black money and terrorism and rejected the elections slated for January 22, 2007.

During the dialogue, Dr Kamal said, the Chief Adviser assured him that the Election Commission has been functioning independently.

He suggested registration of political parties and publication of audit reports of political parties' funds.

Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said the dialogue, 7th in the series, was fruitful when Gano Forum spoke about the establishment of healthy politics discarding sick politics.

The GF also suggested neutralization of the administration, reducing the election expenditure to a reasonable level and establishing a 'hotline' between the government and the mass people so their problems could be resolved readily.

Again stressing the need for national consensus, Dr Hossain Zillur mentioned the consensus among political parties in 1990 switching over to democratic politics.

"We hope, this time around political parties will be able to reach consensus on returning the country to sound democratic system," he said.

The 11-member Gano Forum delegation to the dialogue included Pankaj Bhattacharya, Mofizul Islam Khan Kamal, Mostafa Mohsin Mantu, Commander Abdur Rauf, former Chief Whip Abdur Rauf and Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, while Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, and LGRD Anwarul Iqbal in the government side.