BNP keeps door open for talks
The BNP-led opposition alliance is likely to announce fresh agitation programmes, including a few hartals, in mid-September but leave room for talks with the government on the issue of the reinstatement of the caretaker government system.
The BNP will be executing the agitation programmes to mount pressure on the government to make it cave in and reinstate the caretaker government system.
However, it will be cautious with its steps as it does not want to shut the door on the government over talks, party insiders said.
They said opposition policymakers would sit on Sunday to figure out a strategy for action. They said the strategy would have the option for talks but would still be able to put pressure on the government with agitation programmes.
“The chairperson [of the BNP] will finalise the agitation programmes in consultation with top leaders of the 18-party alliance and the BNP standing committee within a few days,” a senior leader of the party told The Daily Star.
After finalising the agitation programmes, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia might announce them at a rally in the capital.
Before declaring the agitation programmes, Khaleda will visit a few districts to drum up support in favour of the demand for a restoration of the caretaker government system.
“We don't want to see any chaos. We will sit in dialogue once the government agrees in principle that the next election will be held under a neutral administration. We can even withdraw our programmes,” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told The Daily Star.
He said the BNP would have no objection to a dialogue to find an acceptable head of the neutral government.
Rafiqul Islam Mia, another member of the standing committee, said the party wanted to keep the door for discussions open so that the continuity of constitutional government was not hampered. “The discussions can be held in or outside parliament,” he added.
On June 11, 2011, Khaleda Zia at a public meeting declared that she would go for tougher agitation programmes after Eid-ul-Fitr if the government failed to restore the caretaker government system.
Parliament scrapped the caretaker government provision from the constitution last year following a court ruling in this regard. But the BNP said it would not take part in the national elections if they were held under a partisan government.
Meanwhile, the prime minister recently proposed a small cabinet, with BNP representatives included, to oversee the next election. The BNP rejected the idea saying that the interim government must be non-partisan.
Against this backdrop, the BNP is preparing to go for a movement, but policymakers believe the ruling party will finally agree to a neutral administration and that is why it wants to keep the door for talks open.
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