Election roadmap after national consensus meet, CA tells party del

Chief Adviser of the interim government Dr Muhammad Yunus calls for post-uprising national reconciliation and says the election roadmap will be finalised through consultations with political parties.
The CA's press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, quoted the head of interim government as making these statements Monday after the day's two meetings, the last one with a BNP delegation.
The first meeting of the Consensus Commission will be held on February 15, he said.
Referring to the CA's call for reconciliation Mr Shafiqul said in a meeting with the families of the victims who were killed or injured during the July-August mass uprising, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus said, "Our country's future depends on our ability to overcome the conflicts. We must find a way forward together."
The CA vowed: "We will not indulge in injustice. Those who break the law will face its consequences. But for those who haven't, we will tell them that 'You have caused me a lot of pain, but I will not do the same for you. This is your country, too. The country belongs to all of us. We all are children of this soil'."
On a conciliatory note he said they need to be brought onto right path. They need to be told "what you have done was wrong".
"You have to make them understand that their path is wrong and they should apologise for what they have done. This is how our country should move forward. Constant conflict will only hold us back," Dr Yunus, a Nobel laureate for peace, was quoted as saying.
Regarding the meeting between the BNP delegation and the Chief Adviser, Mr Shafiq said when BNP demand immediate election, the CA said he is also in favour of holding elections "very soon" and the roadmap will be discussed in the Consensus Commission meeting on February 15.
BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led the party delegation that included standing committee members Major (Rtd) Hafizuddin Ahmed and Salahuddin Ahmed
The Chief Adviser was accompanied by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul and Industries Ministry adviser Adilur Rahman at the dialogue.
Asked to comment on Mr Fakhrul's comment that the CA had assured BNP that the elections would be held by December, Mr Shafiq said he was not aware about the specific timing.
"What I know is that the roadmap will be announced after a consensus among political parties will be reached," he added.
In response to BNP's demand, the head of interim government assured them that there would be no violation of human rights during the 'Operation Devil Hunt', the codename of the ongoing anticrime drive by the law enforcers.
Asked about BNP's allegation that the collaborators of the ousted "fascist" government go unpunished, the press secretary said, "If there is specific allegation against anybody in the civil administration, we are taking legal action against this."
BNP stressed the need for stability against the backdrop of the recent chaos and vandalism and the party also noted that Hasina's provocation was responsible for this, he added.
Asked for comment on BNP allegations that the government cannot avert the responsibility for the vandalism that took place recently, Mr Shafiq said the government has taken stern steps after the incidents which resulted in the recent improvements in law and order.
He said in the meeting BNP demanded withdrawal of all "false cases" filed against their activists and leaders during the past regime, and in response, Dr Asif Nazrul said process is on to withdraw the false cases.
"Many public prosecutors were in hiding which is the reason behind the slowdown of this process," Dr Asif told the BNP delegation.
Assuring the CA of their total support for the reform initiatives, the BNP delegation said, "We are with you."

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com