After sitting with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina to thrash out differences surrounding the general elections, the Jatiya Oikyafront says it has found “no solution” in the dialogue.
The much-anticipated talks started at the Ganabhaban on Thursday evening just after the election commissioners met President Md Abdul Hamid to brief him about the preparations for the polls.
The closed-door meeting started after Hasina’s opening remarks at 7:00 pm. As the 43 leaders of the Oikyafront and the ruling 14-Party coalition were discussing political issues, the prime minister treated them to a 20-course dinner.
As all the eyes were on the dialogue, a huge media crew gathered outside the prime minister’s residence. They rushed to the politicians when they started emerging out after the talks ended at 10:40 pm.
Asked how the discussion with Hasina went, Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain simply said, “Good.”
The journalists also asked him whether the talks would yield any positive result. “It will bear fruit,” he replied.
But the BNP, the largest party in the new alliance and the ruling Awami League’s main rival, sounded disappointed.
“Not happy,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said about the talks while leaving the Ganabhaban.
No other leader of the Oikyafront spoke to the media outside the Ganabhaban after the over three and a half hours of talks.
Journalists then gathered at Dr Kamal’s home on the Bailey Road for the Oikyafront’s official reaction to the dialogue. Mirza Fakhrul also joined a news briefing there.
In the beginning of the crowded presser, Dr Kamal said leaders of different parties in the Oikyafront spoke at the talks and raised many allegations.
“The prime minister gave a long speech after hearing from all,” he said.
“But we did not find any specific solution,” he added.
The key demand the Oikyafront placed in the talks was the release of jailed politicians, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and dissolution of parliament before the general elections to be overseen by a nonpartisan government.
Their other demands include lifting obstructions to political programmes, reforming the EC through talks with all the political parties, deployment of the army with magistracy powers during the polls, withdrawal of cases started against politicians and students during recent protests, and no use of electronic voting machines or EVMs in the elections.
Mirza Fakhrul placed the demands after Dr Kamal delivered the opening speech at the talks, Gono Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury told the media at the party president’s home.
Subrata said Hasina reassured them of removing the obstacles to holding programmes. “She has ordered the law enforcers (to let all the parties organise programmes),” he said.
The prime minister sought a list specifying the political cases and assured the Oikyafront leaders of resolving the issue through more discussions, according to Subrata
Dr Kamal also said he liked what Hasina said about allowing others to demonstrate.
Journalists asked Mirza Fakhrul what Hasina said about their demand for the release of Khaleda, without whom, he had said earlier, no talks would be successful.
“She (Hasina) was not specific. She said more discussions on the issue can be held later,” he replied.
Then what the outcome of the talks for the BNP was, the journalists asked.
“Can you always achieve everything?” the BNP leader shot back.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD President and Oikyafront spokesman ASM Abdur Rab then added, “You don’t always get everything.”
“We’ve placed the seven-point charter of demand. And our movement will continue,” Rab said drawing the news conference to a close.
Though there was frustration in the Oikyafront leaders’ reaction to the talks, senior Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu, while leaving the Ganabhaban, told the media, “The ice has started melting.”
Besides agreeing to lift curbs on rallies and programmes by other political parties in Dhaka and elsewhere, Hasina also assured the Oikyafront of allowing foreign election observers.
On being asked about Khaleda’s release, Hasina told the Oikyafront leaders again that it falls under court jurisdictions, according to SM Rezaul Karim, a leader of Awami League-backed lawyers who attended the talks.
She also maintained that the elections will be held in accordance with the constitution, rejecting the Oikyafront’s demand that she step down before the polls, Rezaul said.
The Oikyafront leaders also demanded the elections be pushed back, but Hasina pointed out that it was the Election Commission’s decision to make, he added.
Senior Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed said the discussion was constructive and more discussions could be held.
“Discussion can be held at any place any time,” he quoted the prime minister as saying.
“Our leader said her door is always open. They (Oikyafront) can come anytime,” Quader said.
The 21-strong delegation led by Dr Kamal, arrived for the talks at around 6.45 pm. Awami League chief Hasina, who led a 14-party coalition team of 23, entered the meeting room at 6.57 pm.
Public health activist Zafrullah Chowdhury, a sponsor of the Oikyafront, was the first to leave the dialogue.
Gono Forum President Dr Kamal had started the process of forming the new alliance with Bikalpadhara Bangladesh of AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, JSD and Nagorik Oikya of Mahmudur Rahman Manna months before the 11th parliamentary elections.
Their five demands were also the demands of the BNP, which joined the process to form the new coalition later.
The Oikyafront added two more demands, including release of Khaleda when Rab and Manna eventually left the Badruddoza-led Jukto Front and formed the new alliance headed by Dr Kamal with the BNP in it.
Badruddoza and the Jatiya Party’s HM Ershad also sought an audience with the prime minister, and Hasina granted their wish.
She is now scheduled to sit with Badruddoza on Friday and Ershad next Monday.
The talks are expected to ease political tensions between the Hasina-led administration and opposition groups.
BNP leader Abdul Moyeen Khan was among the new delegates.
Another BNP leader, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, was included in the Oikyafront delegation, but he did not show up.
Later, a person close to his family said it was Gayeshwar’s birthday and he decided to stay at home and also, he was feeling unwell.
While taking her seat before the closed-door talks, Hasina greeted everyone. “Ganabhaban is a place for the people. I welcome you all to today’s event,” she said.
She described the work of the Awami League government in Bangladesh’s development in her opening remarks.
“But this country is for all of us. Our prime goal is to change people’s fate by taking the country forward through inclusive development.”