BNP hopes for quick polls after minimum reforms

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today expressed the hope that political parties will reach a 'minimum consensus' on state reforms through talks to facilitate the quick holding of the national election.

"There will be discussions on the reports provided by the reform commissions. The political parties will engage in talks with the commissions, and efforts will be made to reach a consensus," he said.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the National Consensus Commission, the BNP leader said political parties participated in initial discussions with the Consensus Commission. "Different political parties made various remarks there."

"We (BNP) hope that a minimum consensus on this reform will be reached very soon and that the national elections will be held very soon based on that. This is our expectation," he said.

Fakhrul said the chief adviser, along with the National Consensus Commission, held the first meeting with the political parties and he talked about the necessity and importance of reforms. "In the meeting, he [Yunus] mentioned that political parties will discuss each of the reports submitted by the reform commissions in the coming days," the BNP leader said.

In response to a question, the BNP leader reiterated that they have already made it clear that the national parliamentary election must be held first, and then the local government elections will be held.

He, however, said they did not engage in any in-depth discussion about the elections during the meeting. "There was only a preliminary discussion today ... You could say the discussion was introductory. Different political parties expressed different views, and that reflected their own opinions," Fakhrul said.

Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said they told the meeting that reforms are necessary and should be implemented first before holding the election.

"The chief adviser mentioned that the national elections will be held by December. We are observing how this progresses," he said.

The Jamaat leader said the members of the National Consensus Commission will hold separate discussions with different parties and stakeholders to implement the reforms.

"Jamaat-e-Islami will welcome all positive decisions…we have stated that the election will be held as soon as possible after the final decisions of the reform commission are made," he said.

Amar Bangladesh Party (AB) Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju said they informed the meeting that the government's authority in the administration has not yet been clearly established.

In such a situation, he warned, organising any election would be dangerous.

Meeting sources said some political parties, mainly the Islamist ones, emphasised the need to hold the local body elections before the national election, but the majority of others opposed this proposal.

The National Consensus Commission meeting began at 3:00pm at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

This was the first meeting between political parties and the commission.

Delegations from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, LDP, Jatiya Party (Kazi Jafar), Nagorik Oikya, Islami Andolan, Khilafat Majlish, Ganosamhati Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gonoforum, Biplobi Workers Party, Jagpa, NPP, Labour Party, BJP Bangladesh JSD participated in the meeting. Jatiya Nagorik Committee also attended it. 

Around 100 politicians from 26 parties and alliances attended the meeting, with all invitees present.

A six-member BNP delegation, led by Fakhrul, attended the meeting. The other BNP delegation members were Jamiruddin Sircar, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

A seven-member 'National Consensus Commission' was formed on February 12 under the leadership of the chief adviser. This was the first meeting of the commission.