Dhaka – A group of citizens on Monday sent letters to the President, Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson to hold talks to end the political chaos that has claimed already 70 people dead jeopardizing public safety.
Convenor of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna said that they have sent letters to the trio to hold talks to resolve the crisis that emerged after Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia called an indefinite transport blockade on January 5 as she was prevented from joining a rally in Dhaka on the first anniversary of an election she boycotted.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda’s press wing official Shamsuddin Didar said they have received the letter that was signed by former Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda.
Didar said, Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain’s Personal Secretary Prince Chanchal Mahmud went to the BNP office on Monday evening to hand over the letter.
When contacted Prime Minister’s information adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury dodged the question saying anyone can send letter, “But who gives them the authority to send the letter? ”
Chowdhury also said Kamal held a meeting with BNP Chairperson then he took the initiative. “How neutral it is? If they really want to do any talks then they should ask the BNP to stop violence.”
Manna said, “It is tough to say but in the meantime we will hold talks with different professionals and other political parties and we will form our committee. Then we will take our next programme.”
The civil society platform came into appearance first on February 7 where they they proposed national charter could include an appeal to the government to fix a timeframe for talks with the BNP-led 20-party alliance and also an appeal to the BNP to end the hartal and blockade and killing people with petrol bombs.
The initiative was formally announced at a roundtable on Saturday, a day after the ruling Awami League expressed its final position that there would be no dialogue with the BNP camp.
Jatiya Oikya Prokriya (the process of national unity) organised the discussion on ‘National Dialogue to Resolve National Crisis’, at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh.
In that programme, former chief election commission (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda said, the situation has reached such a critical stage that the future of the country is at stake.
“One side wants to eliminate the other. So, under the circumstances, other than a solution to the immediate problems, a national charter is also required to build a stable state and society for the future,” he added.
Earlier, the United Nations, the US, the UK, the European Union and other foreign and local quarters called for an end to the violence and for a meaningful dialogue, but to no avail.
Violent deaths continue during the blockade being enforced with the demand for fresh parliamentary elections following a dialogue and understanding.
The Awami League government continues to view this as a law and order problem, tackling it through the use of force. And the inflexible stand of the rival camps is making the violent situation worse day by day.
In this stifling situation, certain eminent citizens have taken this initiative for national dialogue.
Former caretaker government advisor M Hafizuddin Khan, lawyer Shahdeen Malik, former caretaker government advisor Akbar Ali Khan, former caretaker government advisor Rasheda K Chowdhury, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr. Salahuddin Ahmed,former inspector general of police Mohammed Nurul Huda, former caretaker government advisor CM Shafi Sami, Sujon secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, former teacher of Dhaka University Reza Kibria, Dhaka University teacher Syed Anwar Hossain; CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim; Bikalpadhara secretary general Abdul Mannan; JSD’s ASM Abdur Rab; former DUSCU vice president Sultan Mohammed Mansur Ahmed; former DUCSU general secretary Mushtaque Hossain attended the programme.