PM questions Oikyafront's sincerity

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday criticised the BNP and the Jatiya Oikyafront for announcing programmes for movement at a time when a dialogue was taking place about the national election.

“When a dialogue is going on, I see they're announcing programmes for a movement. They're holding the dialogue on one hand and declaring programmes for the movement on the other. We don't understand what type of a dialogue is this.”

The PM was addressing a discussion, organised by Awami League at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh, marking the Jail Killing Day.

Hasina, also the AL president, said she was not sure how the people would take the stance of the BNP and the Oikyafront.

She said she agreed to hold talks just keeping in mind the people's interest.

“We sat down for the dialogue just to let people live in peace and let them cast their votes peacefully to pick the government of their choice.”

About Thursday's dialogue between Jatiya Oikyafront, in which the BNP is a major component, and the AL-led 14-party alliance, the PM said the Oikyafront leaders talked most of the time during the meeting. “The Oikyafront leaders spoke for almost two hours followed by the 14-party alliance leaders.”

Hasina said she spoke at the end of the dialogue to wrap it up.

She mentioned that the government accepted many demands of the Oikyafront.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Mohammed Nasim, among others, took part in the discussion.

Yesterday was the 43rd anniversary of the Jail Killing Day. On this day in 1975, national leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, AHM Quamruzzaman and M Mansur Ali were killed inside the erstwhile Dhaka central jail.

The meeting, chaired by the PM, observed one-minute silence in memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, martyrs of August 15, 1975, and the four national leaders.