The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Kallyan Party (BKP), during the dialogue with the Government, yesterday extended its support for holding all local government elections, including upazila polls ahead of the parliamentary elections.

A seven-member BKP delegation led by its Chairman Major General (Retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim put forward 9-point demand. The demands include comprehensive reforms in the administration, ensuring balance of power between MPs and ministers, ministers and prime minister, and prime minister and president.

The BKP also called for bringing amendment to the Constitution to be done by the next elected parliament, and before that, some work can be done through forming Constitution Review Committee, changing the word 'Sanad' in national charter for consensus or policy framework, bicameral parliament, enough power to the army and law-enforcing agencies to check violence before and during the elections.

Briefing journalists after the dialogue, Gen Ibrahim said the BKP proposed inviting ethnic groups and Bangladesh Hindu League, the only political party representing the Hindu community.

He said they also recommended inviting Christian and Buddhist community under coverage of civil society, as the people of these two religions have no political party of their own.

The BKP Chairman said they alerted the government about insidious comments of a few political parties and quarters about the armed forces which wanted to provoke a confrontation between the people and the armed forces.

Asked to clarify the matter of confrontation, he said the chief of a major political party stated in the dock that they 'will see their end'.

He interpreted that the word 'their' referred to the caretaker government and those backing the government and termed such statement vindictive.

The BKP chairman urged people to refrain from saying or doing things, which might lead others to misunderstand the army's role and intentions.

Adviser for Education and Commerce Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters that the government would like to advance on the basis of consensus; therefore, such vindictive statements were not welcome.

Replying to a question, the Adviser said the government will hold a small-scale conference on June 27 with the local indigenous communities in Khagrachhari.

He said the first regional dialogue would be held in Chittagong on June 28. "Work is progressing on the dialogue with the expatriate Bangladeshis too," he said.

The Adviser said both factions of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have been invited to the dialogue and the government is awaiting their replies.

Replying to a question, the Adviser said there is no possibility of advancing parliamentary elections, in October because of the factor of preparation.

He, however, said elections for local government would not put any impact on national elections, slated for December.

Adviser for Communications Ghulam Quader, Adviser for Law AF Hassan Arif, BKP secretary general Abul Kalam Azad and other leaders--Mohammad Ali Sarker, Momtaz Begum and Abdul Hannan Palash, were present at the dialogue and joint press briefing.