Govt to be forced to engage in talks: Moudud

BNP Standing Committee Member Moudud Ahmed today said once again that the ruling quarter would be forced to engage in dialogue with his party to hold the upcoming general election in a free, fair and inclusive manner.

“There are only two or three months in hand. The government will be forced to hold a dialogue with us within this time,” Moudud said while addressing a programme at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka this afternoon.

Referring to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s recent remark that informal talks with BNP can be held through phone conversation without setting any agenda, Moudud said, “It does not matter whatever the government says. It will be forced to hold dialogue.”

He said the government will have to dissolve the current parliament for arranging the next general election under a non-party caretaker administration.

Army will have to be deployed with magistracy power and the present Election Commission (EC) will have also to be reconstituted if the ruling quarter wants to hold the elections in an impartial manner, the former law minister said.

“We are mulling to form a national unity to meet our demands,” the BNP leader said.

It has been proved through the recently held local body elections that no election can be held under the current administration in a free and fair manner, Moudud added.

Earlier in the day, BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said that his party will not participate in the upcoming general elections if it is held in a farcical manner.

“As we belong to a democratic political party, we want changeover of power through elections but don’t want to take part in any game,” Khan said.

He was addressing a programme organised by Desh Bachao, Manush Bachao Andolon (Save Country, Save People Movement) for immediate release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and other imprisoned leaders at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

Claiming that BNP does not believe in any conspiracy, Khan said, “We want to run the country unseating the government and it is not a secret at all.”

The government will have to ensure release of Khaleda Zia and dissolve the current parliament for creating a level playing field ahead of the next general elections, the BNP leader said.

BNP wants administrative neutrality and transparency of the Election Commission (EC) before the elections, he said.

The BNP leader called upon his party men to become united.

There is no alternative but to forge a collective mass-movement to get rid of the prevailing political impasse, he said.