Ashraf expects nat'l dialogue on CG system

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said a national dialogue could be held to decide the fate of the non-party caretaker government system.
“The Election Commission (EC) can hold the national dialogue with all political parties on whether the caretaker government system will remain or not,” Ashraf, also LGRD and Cooperatives minister, said while speaking at a discussion.
Awami Jubo League organised the discussion at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh marking the 34th death anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15.
The AL general secretary observed that the caretaker government system was launched for an experiment. But this system has failed for three times, he said.
Referring to the chief election commissioner's statement, Ashraf said the EC could itself hold an impartial election even under a political government.
He said allegations are there against some of the advisers of the last caretaker government and many top army officials. “Many more things will come out if investigation is carried out to this end,” said Ashraf.
Minus-one formula was carried out to remove Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina from politics, said the AL leader adding, “It was a minus-one formula, not minus-two that many say.”
He said conspiracies are still going on to assassinate Sheikh Hasina and even conspiracies are there at different levels to erase the spirit of the liberation war.
Directing the party leaders and workers to change themselves for building a new Bangladesh, the AL general secretary said, “Your behavior will have to be changed by giving up the past habits. It is not acceptable that you behave like BNP.”
The AL leader said, “We want to change the Awami League in a bid to change the country and for this new leadership has been brought in the party through its national council.”
He urged Jubo League leaders to prefer new leadership in their committees in their upcoming council.
AL Organising Secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mirza Azam, Abed Khan, Syed Shamsul Haque, Zinat Huda Wahid, among others, also spoke at the discussion, chaired by Omar Faruk Chowdhury, acting chairman of Jubo League.