Dialogue offer draws fire from 14-party camp

A civil society dialogue offer to major political parties is facing a blow following its rejection mainly from the ruling 14-party alliance, thus posing an uncertainty over the possible solution to the ongoing political deadlock.
Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on behalf of the group of civil society members Dr ATM Shamsul Huda sent letters separately to the President, Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson on Monday last, requesting them for holding a national level dialogue to resolve the ongoing crisis.
After the offer, several leaders and ministers of the ruling alliance at different events have already ruled out the possibility of holding such talks with the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, while talking to the reporters at his ministry Tuesday, sharply criticised the move of the civil society and termed it 'unexpected and unrealistic'.
"There is no question of holding dialogue with those engaged in killing innocent people in violence," the minister said, adding that the civil society members sent the letters with the  purpose to conceal the ongoing street violence and place a democratic political party (AL) at par with them (BNP).
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon criticised noted lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain for proposing such a dialogue, saying it was his one kind of luxury as Dr Kamal might not have any lecture abroad during this winter and it might be a trick to draw attention of the country's people.
He said the persons behind the initiative were silent about the ongoing violence and burning of people as they did not feel any kind of responsibility to the citizens of the country.
"Otherwise they might have talked about ending of this arson attacks first," said Mr Menon, also Chairman of Workers Party which is one of the key allies of the ruling alliance.  
Food Minister Qamrul Islam, who was also present at the programme, said no one was spared from the attacks as instructed by Khaleda Zia.
"Election is not the major issue for them (BNP and its allies). These types of activities are done mainly to save Khaleda Zia and Tareq from various cases that they are facing," he said.
However, such negative response to the proposal for dialogue has frustrated many of the country's political analysts and observers.
Talking about the issue, Badiul Alam Majumder, the founder-Secretary of Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (Shujan), said the political leaders would have to realise that dialogue could be the only solution to the prevailing political stalemate.
"The political parties' no to dialogue offer is very unfortunate. And the leaders should refrain from making any aggressive comment to this effect," he added.
When contacted, former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakahwat Hossain said the gap between the country's major political parties widened at such a level that they do not want to accept the suggestions of 'local mediators'.
"Rather they (political parties) are often  in the race for getting supports of foreigners," he said.
He also said the political leaders were  opposing the move without going into details about such an offer.
"If the move fails, the ongoing political deadlock will deepen further, which is not a good signal for our democracy at all," he said.
    jubairfe1980@gmail.com