The New Nation - Internet Edition

Hasanuzzaman Khan

The recent initiative to hold a grand meeting between BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has generated controversy in different quarters. Barrister Rafiqul Haque, the common lawyer of the two top leaders, has offered to mediate between them which the Government seems to have taken very seriously. Even he was contacted in Singapore from where he has given consent. The government is learnt to have become a side in the talks.

Hussain Zillur , Adviser for Political Affairs of the Government said, they will exert pressure to make Khaleda-Hasina talks a success. But he did not explain what kind of pressure he is going to apply.

Abdul Jalil, the Awami League General Secretary who was now sidelined, said, the Khaleda-Hasina talks will be successful in view of the current situation in the country. But the much-trumpeted talks which he held with BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan in 2006 did not see the light at the end of the tunnel. Instead the high exposure talks at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban funnelled the public sentiment inviting unforeseen activities in the country some of which still remains unresolved.

The history of the talks between the political leaders in the country was not much of success. Besides the much trumpeted Jalil and Mannan talks, the BNP-AL talks in which C’Wealth official Sir Ninien was facilitator in 1996, was also not conclusive.

It could not be known what were the issues to be discussed in the Khaleda-Hasina meeting. It was guessed that the Government wants to keep proposed national charter on the top of the agenda. About 222 politicians and businessmen who were on the list of corruption suspects would be barred from participating in the election.

Dr. Kamal Hossain, a heavyweight in the legal arena, has expressed his concern in the slide in the anti-corruption drive. The mass enlargement on bail in corruption cases could not be justified in any way. Eight makeshift courts in the Jatiya Sangsad Complex out of ten remain inoperative for last few days. Not many people belonging to the Judiciary could not be seen there. Only two cases concerning Ali Asghar Lobby and Makshdur Rahman Laskar, a government official, were heard this week.

Awami League seems to be in the backfoot after triumphant return of BNP chief Khaleda Zia from Jail to her Mainul Road residence in the cantonment on September 11.

Before that she visited her ailing son Tarique at BSMMU and party office at Nayapaltan where thousands of people lined up to give her a Joyous reception.

Meanwhile Awami League has decided to reactivate the Mahajote (grand alliance) comprising Ershad-led Jatiya Party, 14 parties, and Oli Ahmed- led LDP.

Besides some splinter groups of Islamic Groups are going to be associated with them. It may be mentioned that BNP chief held a meeting of the party standing committee where an attempt of the party sycophants to decorate her as lifelong party chairperson proved abortive. The 'Mahajote’ was formed just before the never-held January 22, 2006 Polls. Mahajote withdrew its candidates from the January 22, 2006 polls. The withdrawal of Mahajote from election scheduled to be held on January 22, 2006 led the country to 1/11 changeover in which the country remains without election for two years. The key leaders of the country were interned and many of whom faced corruption cases. Now the interned political leaders are being enlarged on bail enmasse.

In another development Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina while talking to party acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday over telephone asked him to reactivate the Mahajote in line with the one formed on 18 December 2006.

Awami League seems to be back to pre- 1/11 politics reviving the confrontational posture. Sheikh Hasina is likely to return to the country next-month. Awami league leaders are learnt to have drawn a massive programme to accord reception to their party supremo. Syed Ashraful is learnt to have held preparatory talks with Ershad, Oli Ahmed and the leaders of the Islamic splinter groups. The decision to revive Mahajote was taken in London in July this year where Awami League Chief Sheikh Hasina, Jatiya Party Leader Anisul Islam Mahmud and Syed Ashraful were present. After that Jatiya Party leader Ershad started speaking about reviving the Mahajote. But the senior leaders of Awami League including Amir Hossain Amu gave cold shoulder to the utterances of Ershad.The Mahajote was formed on 18 December, 2006 centering now annulled January 22, 2007 election. After promulgation of emergency in January, 2007 there was no existence of Mahajote. The civil society leaders which include prominent economist Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud said, the complexities arising out of creation of Mahajote is leading the country to a great crisis which needs a grand solution. Some time after the emergency was proclaimed the Mahajote became non-functional. Fourteen-party leaders termed the Mahajote a marriage of convenience not an alliance of conviction.

It is a deviation of Awami league from their anti-communalism ideals. Some of the religious extremist groups which took refuge in the Mahajote sentenced women right protagonist Taslima Nasrin to death.

Awami Leage has set up its election office at Dhanmondi where former civil servant-cum-politician A M A Muhit and H T Imam were posted to prepare Awami League election plan. Some retired civil and military bureaucrats were selected to work with Awami League election team.