DHAKA, Nov 2, 2018 (BSS) – Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader described today’s dialogue between the Awami League-led 14-party alliance and Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury-led Jukta Front as “constructive and positive”, saying that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accepted many of the demands of the Jukta Front.
“A constructive and positive discussion was held between the two alliances where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina listened to the words of the Jukta Front leaders very patiently,” Quader said while briefing reporters after the talks at Ganabhaban tonight.
The AL general secretary said the two sides recognised Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as an undisputed leader of the Liberation War. “They spoke on the issue at the same tone,” he said.
While talking about the Jukta Front’s one of the demands of creation of a level playing field for all and dissolving parliament or making it ineffective before the elections, the prime minister said after the announcement of the polls schedule the ministers and lawmakers will not get any privilege.
“Parliament will not be dissolved, but it will remain ineffective after the declaration of the schedule,” Quader quoted the premier as saying.
Sheikh Hasina assured the Jukta Front leaders that the proceeding of the ruling party candidates will be same.
The prime minister said the ECNEC will not approve any project after the declaration of the election schedule.
On the Jukta Front’s demand for making limited the government activities before the elections, Sheikh Hasina said the government activities have already been limited.
About the deployment of army, the prime minister told the Jukta Front leaders that the country witnessed many games in the past centering the army deployment.
“We don’t want to make army controversial again … the army will act as a striking force and work at the advice of local administration during the polls,” the AL general secretary quoted the prime minister as saying.
On the use of electronic voting machine, Sheikh Hasina said the law regarding the use of EVM in the elections was not passed by parliament, but the president promulgated an ordinance in this connection.
“I will raise your concern about the EVM before the president,” she said.
The prime minister told the Jukta Front leaders to provide a list of their political prisoners to him, Quader said.
About the possibility of participation of the Jukta Front’s in the next election, the AL general secretary said: “It seemed to me from their talks that they are positive about it and we hope they will come to the election.”
Replying to a question about the amendment to constitution, Quader said the Jukta Front leaders did not make any major demand on this issue.
The talks began at 7.45pm at Ganabhaban and lasted for more than three hours.
Sheikh Hasina led a 14-party delegation, while Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and Jukta Front chairman Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury headed a 21-member team of Jukta Front.
The Bikalpadhara president and general secretary greeted the premier by presenting a bouquet as she entered the Banquet Hall of Ganabhaban at 7.43 pm.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammed Nasim, Anisul Huq, Abdul Matin Khasru, Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak, Ramesh Chandra Sen, Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif, Dr. Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Dr. Abdus Sobhan Golap, Dr. Hasan Mahmud and S. M. Rezaul Karim represented Awami League in the talks.
Sammyaabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua and leader of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal faction Moinuddin Khan Badol joined the talks as partners of the ruling alliance.
The other team members of the Jukta Front included Presidium members of Bikalpadhara Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Golam Sarwar Milon, President of Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP) Nazim Uddin Al Azad, general secretary Delwar Hossain, president of Bangladesh National Awami Party Jebel Rahman Ghani, Secretary General M Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan, chairman of National Democratic Party (NDP) Khandakar Golam Mostafa and president of Bangladesh Janata Party Sheikh Asaduzzaman.
On Thursday night, the Awami League-led 14-praty alliance and Jatiya Oikyafront had marathon discussions at Ganabhaban over the next general election.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led a 23-member 14-party delegation while Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain a 20-member Jatiya Oikyafront team in the discussion.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina invited B Chowdhury to join the talks at Ganabhaban as he sent a letter to her seeking talks over the next polls.