Jatiya Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain today said the newly floated political alliance believes in dialogue, which should take place upholding common interest of the countrymen.

“We believe in the dialogue and that will have to take place upholding the national interest and values of the constitution,” said Kamal Hossain, also the president of Gono Forum, a component of Jatiya Oikyafront.

The eminent jurist came up with the remark a day before the much-anticipated talks between the alliance leaders and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gono Bhaban.

Dr Kamal Hossain was speaking during a discussion held at the Jatiya Press Club this afternoon to mark the founding anniversary of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).

A 22-member delegation of the ruling 14-party alliance, led by PM Hasina, will join the talks with a 16-member Oikyafront delegation led by Dr Kamal Hossain.

Taking part in the programme, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir blamed the government for carrying out a steamroller of oppression and repression since the last 10 years.

“We are being steamrolled and it has not yet been stopped despite calling for a dialogue with us,” Fakhrul said.

Referring to the court verdicts against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul said, “Two verdicts were given in the last two days which reflect the government’s desire.”

“It is inconsistent with the reality,” the BNP leader said, expressing concern over positive outcome of the dialogue.

“Despite this, I hope that the government would cash in the opportunity by accepting our 7-point demands. Otherwise, the prevailing political impasse will not come to an end,” he said.

How was the dialogue initiated?

The issue of dialogue surfaced when Dr Kamal, president of Gono Forum – a key component of the Oikyafront, wrote to the prime minister on October 28 asking for dialogue.

The matter of dialogue and Dr Kamal’s letter for dialogue was discussed at the cabinet meeting on October 29.

Responding to the newly formed Jatiya Oikyafront's call, Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League president, yesterday formally invited the alliance to take part in talks with her party at Gono Bhaban tomorrow evening.

What was written in Dr Kamal’s letter?

Apart from inviting premier Hasina for taking steps towards dialogue, Dr Kamal wrote about Bangabandhu’s ideology and the political situation in Bangladesh.

In the letter, Kamal said: “Bangabandhu taught us how healthy politics unite a nation and turn it into a force to realise people’s legitimate rights.”

“How the unhealthy politics has split the nation and plunged it into a great crisis is known to all of us,” Kamal added.

“It is our national challenge to rid the crisis; and to face the challenge, the JatiyaOikyafront has placed its seven-point charter and 11-point goal,” he said.

Democracy is one of the main spirits that encouraged us to go for the freedom fight and to sacrifice our lives; and the motto of the democracy is to arrange of a free, fair and impartial elections, he said.

The elected public representatives would enforce their power in favour of people. They would formulate laws to protect the people from exploitation and would govern the country, which are our constitutional pledge, he said in the letter.

What are Oikyafront’s demands?

The 11-point goal announced by the alliance includes ensuring checks and balances in the state power, decentralisation of administration, freeing MPs from the stringent restrictions imposed on them under article 70 of the constitution, formation of a constitutional commission to make appointments to all constitutional and other important posts and full independence of the judiciary.

The alliance also announced a seven-point demand, including the one for holding the next parliamentary election under a non-partisan government, dissolution of the parliament and reconstitution of the Election Commission before the polls.