US for talks to end disputes

National consensus among political parties is a must to strengthen democratic processes and sustainable economic development.

Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal said this yesterday in separate meetings with opposition leader Raushan Ershad, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and civil society representatives, according to meeting sources.

The US diplomat also sought an appointment with the prime minister through the US embassy but the Prime Minister's Office failed to arrange it due to a pre-scheduled programme today in Habiganj.

It was scheduled a week ago and that's why a meeting could not be arranged, a PMO source told The Daily Star yesterday.

Biswal, who arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit after attending the 18th Saarc Summit in Kathmandu, also visited Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) in Gazipur yesterday.

During the 30-minute meeting with Raushan Ershad, Biswal wanted to know when the next general elections would be held in Bangladesh.

“In reply, our leader said it will be held in due time," Tajul Islam, the opposition chief whip, told reporters after the meeting.

Although Biswal enquired why the Jatiya Party participated in the January 5 polls, she showed positives attitudes on JP's participation in the elections, Tajul said.

Later Biswal rushed to the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan residence and discussed bilateral issues with her for about 40 minutes.

During the meet, Biswal stressed that democratic processes must be strengthened in the South Asian region to sustain socio-economic development. According to sources, they also talked about the January 5 election.

While briefing reporters, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury declined to make any comment about the US position on the election.

Earlier at BIPSOT, Biswal said the United States and the international community were profoundly grateful to the people of Bangladesh for their contribution to international peacekeeping efforts.

“Bangladesh is the single largest contributor to international peacekeeping efforts, with over 8,700 individuals deployed around the world. These patriots from Bangladesh's military and police have contributed greatly to global peace and security,” she said.

Later in the afternoon, the US official held meetings with civil society representatives at the residence of US Ambassador Dan Mozena.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Sujan, Adilur Rahman, secretary of Odhikar, journalist Mahfuzullah and Advocate Elina Khan, among others, attended the meeting.

Meeting sources said the civil society representatives told Biswal that the government which was formed through the January 5 controversial elections had failed to get people's mandate and so the country needed a free, fair and neutral election.

“It is necessary to have a national charter of consensus which the political parties will follow and implement when they come to power,” Majumder told reporters after emerging from the meeting.

This is Biswal's third trip to Dhaka. She had first visited the country in 2010 as the Assistant Administrator for USAID. Her second visit was in November 2013 when she, as the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had extensive talks with Bangladesh's political leadership and civil society for holding inclusive and credible elections in Bangladesh.