Awami League spurned pointblank the BNP offer for united movement to overcome the 'grave crisis' facing the country, reports UNB.
"There is no possibility of launching united or simultaneous movement with BNP," Awami League acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters after the party's presidium meeting at Zillur Rahman's Gulshan house Thursday evening.
Earlier in the day, BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain called on Awami League to start joint movement for salvaging the nation from present crisis and restoring democracy.
Spurning the overtures Ashraf said, "They are war criminals and responsible for 1/11. Never ever will there be unity with them."
He noted that Awami League has unity with 14-party combine and the people. "We don't need unity with others."
Ashraf said Delwar sahib is a seasoned politician and he worked with him for 11 years in parliament. He made the appeal personally. "I don' t want to rebuke him though he attacked me personally."
Ashraf made it clear that Delwar's words are not enough to make unity. "Moreover," he said, "Awami League and BNP have got differences in terms of ideology and principle."
Earlier, the BNP called on all political parties, including its arch-adversary Awami League, to start a united movement for salvaging the nation from a 'grave crisis' and restoring democracy.
'No political party alone can overcome the current crisis. In the past too success did not come without any united movement,' BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain told a press briefing at his NAM apartment in the city, hot on the heels of his detained party chief and ex-premier Khaleda Zia's political salvo inside a trial court.
Responding to Awami League acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam's rejection of a movement with BNP and Jamaat, Delwar said 'Ashraf sahib is a wise man.' He hoped that Mr Ashraf would not oppose any unity. 'For God's sake (Allaharwaste) and for people's interest, don't oppose unity.'
Holding out an olive branch to their traditional political foe, the BNP leader said, 'We want unity in the interest of election. If people vote for you (AL), you will go to power and we will sit in the opposition bench. We will have our understanding wherever we are and we will have no problem among us.'
Delwar said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also spoke about the necessity of unity. 'We've demanded the release of two leaders-Khaleda and Hasina--and we sought it for the interest of the country and democracy. We did not feel any hesitation for that.' He observed that nowhere a non-elected government stays in power for such a long time. 'They are taking this chance in Bangladesh.'
The BNP leader termed the government's dialogue and commitment to election as a total drama. 'They are staging mock show only to perpetuate their power with the help of an external force,' he said, adding, 'the government is showing us mirage and implementing its blueprint in the name of election.'
Referring to Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur's comment that the dialogue is not only aimed at the election, Delwar said it reflects that the government has no intention to hold elections.
Turning to the January 11, 2007 changeover, Delwar alleged that the '1/11' was staged under a well-thought-out plan to eliminate politics and destroy the country.
On crackdown on parties, he said the government so long has 'harassed' politicians in the name of anti-corruption drive and is now harassing the politicians in the name of anti-terror drive. He said most of the arrested people belong to BNP and Awami League.
Delwar apprised journalists that the BNP's Dhaka City committee was cancelled at the instruction of Begum Zia. A new committee will be formed on Begum Zia's advice and in consultation with BNP city leaders.
Party leaders Dr RA Gani, Selima Rahman, Prof MA Mannan, Sarwari Rahman, Rizvi Ahmed and Shirin Sultana were present.
