Oikyafront welcomes Hasina’s nod for dialogue

Political alliance Jatiya Oikyafront has welcomed Awami League’s willingness for dialogue over the upcoming general election.

“We welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her willingness to sit with us,” BNP Standing Committee Member Moudud Ahmed said.

He was talking to newsmen after a meeting of the Jatiya Oikyafront leaders held at his Motijheel Law Chamber in Dhaka this evening.

Moudud said, Oikyafront plans to discuss several issues including reconstitution of the Election Commission during the meeting.

ASM Abdur Rob, president of another alliance member JSD, told The Daily Star that the leaders are prepared to meet the prime minister tomorrow.

WHY THE DIALOGUE?

Ruling Awami League has agreed to sit in talks with Oikyafront over the general election.

The move came in response to Dr Kamal Hossain’s letter written to Hasina, president of Awami League, last night. There, Dr Kamal sought dialogue over election.

Just days ago, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader strongly said his party will not accept any demand from any opposition over election.

Oikyafront, is campaigning with a seven-point charter including release of Khaleda Zia, chief of its key alliance member BNP, and election under a non-partisan administration.

WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LETTER?

Apart from inviting premier Hasina for taking steps towards dialogue, Dr Kamal wrote about Bangabandhu’s ideology and the political situation in Bangladesh.

In the letter, Kamal said: “Bangabandhu taught us how healthy politics unite a nation and turn it into a force to realise people’s legitimate rights.”

 “How the unhealthy politics has split the nation and plunged it into a great crisis is known to all of us,” Kamal added.

 “It is our national challenge to rid the crisis; and to face the challenge, the Jatiya Oikyafront has placed its seven-point charter and 11-point goal,” he said.

Democracy is one of the main spirits that encouraged us to go for the freedom fight and to sacrifice our lives; and the moto of the democracy is to arrange of a free, fair and impartial elections, he said.

The elected public representatives would enforce their power in favour of people. They would formulate law to protect the people from exploitation and would govern the country which are our constitutional pledge, he said in the letter.

WHAT ARE OIKYAFRONT’S DEMANDS?

The 11-point goal announced by the alliance includes ensuring checks and balances in the state power, decentralisation of administration, freeing MPs from the stringent restrictions imposed on them under article 70 of the constitution, formation of a constitutional commission to make appointments to all constitutional and other important posts and full independence of the judiciary.

The alliance also announced a seven-point demand, including the one for holding the next parliamentary election under a nonpartisan government, dissolution of parliament before the polls and recasting the Election Commission.