Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader says that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold talks with the parties and alliances she spoke to before the election at the Ganabhaban.
The prime minister will send letters inviting them to a dialogue, he told reporters on Sunday.
The decision comes after the Jatiya Oikya Front called for a ‘national dialogue’ after it boycotted the 11th national parliamentary election.
The Jatiya Oikya Front was formed on October 13, led by Gono Forum President Kamal Hossain. The alliance that includes BNP and other registered and unregistered parties pressed for a seven-point list of demands.
These demands included dissolving parliament ahead of the polls and the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.
The Oikya Front then called for talks amid the Election Commission’s preparations for the polls.
Hasina, also president of the Awami League, rather unexpectedly agreed and met the Oikya Front leaders at the Ganabhaban.
Afterwards various parties and alliances sat for meetings with the leader of the government. The Jatiya Oikya Front announced later on that it would take part in the polls ‘as a part of its protest movement’ despite none of their demands being met.
On December 30 the Awami League won an unprecedented third consecutive term in office in a landslide victory. Meanwhile, the Oikya Front, which won only eight seats, called for fresh elections.
The Kamal Hossain-led alliance then announced plans for a ‘national dialogue’.
The programme was dismissed as ‘laughable’ by Obaidul Quader two days ago.
But on Sunday, he spoke to reporters at the Awami League’s central offices on Bangabandhu Avenue and announced the new round of talks.
The Awami League general secretary did not specify when the talks would take place, bdnews24.com reported.
“We may discuss various issues,” he said in response to a question. “We can renew calls for the BNP to sit in parliament and renew our relationship.”
Quader also drew the media’s attention to Kamal Hossain’s recent comment that it was ‘wrong’ of him to stand beside Jamaat-e-Islami candidates in the election.
“Jamaat means BNP and BNP means Jamaat,” the Awami League leader said. “Kamal Hossain must make amends for taking the step despite knowing this.”
