US urges dialogue among parties without any condition
The US government wants dialogue among political parties in the country without any condition to resolve the political crisis over the upcoming election, said US Assistant Secretary Donald Lu.
Donald Lu also said they want to see a free, fair and participatory election in Bangladesh.
Donald Lu said this in a letter to Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader.
US Ambassador Peter Hass today handed over the letter to Quader at the JP chairman's office at the city's Banani.
Peter Hass said the US, as a friendly country to Bangladesh, wants a free, fair and neutral election in Bangladesh held in a congenial atmosphere, GM Quader told The Daily Star.
The US government wants to see all political parties sit in dialogue unconditionally to resolve the election-related stalemate, added Quader, deputy leader of the opposition in parliament.
The JP chief said Donal Lu, in a letter to him, also mentioned these two issues -- free and fair polls in Bangladesh and unconditional dialogue among the political parties.
Emerging from the meeting, JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu told the media that Peter Hass also handed over the same letter of Donald Lu to the ruling Awami League and BNP.
Chunnu said the ongoing political crisis and other issues were discussed during the 40-minute-long meeting with Peter Hass.
The meeting started at 3:00pm.
Chunnu, however, declined to elaborate on those issues discussed in the meeting saying those were informal discussions.
"We discussed many issues. But those were unofficial. The US ambassador came to hand over the letter. He told us that he wants to hand over the letter to the JP chairman," he added.
The JP secretary general said, the JP chief after receiving the letter read before them.
"The letter contains a few lines that state the US wants to see a free, fair and inclusive election in Bangladesh."
Asked whether JP informed anything to Hass about the upcoming election, Chunnu said, "It's [the election] our internal affairs. It is the responsibility of the election commission to hold the election in a free and fair manner. And the government will assist the EC in this regard."
Asked if JP will participate in the election, Chunnu said, they have taken all preparations to participate in the election.
"We are still waiting to see whether the government creates a congenial atmosphere [for voting] so that voters can cast their votes at their will and without any obstacle," added Chunnu.
However, he said the party doesn't think that a congenial atmosphere is prevailing at present for holding a free and fair election.
JP co-chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid and JP chairman's adviser Masroor Mawla were also present at the meeting.