Khaleda offers to work together with ruling party

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Parliament Tuesday offered to work together with the ruling party for the betterment of the nation, shunning the politics of blame game and political harassment, report agencies. "This country belongs to us all. We need to discuss our good and bad, and figure out solution to those for the welfare of our people," she said, apparently offering an olive branch to the government for reconciliation against politics of vendetta. "Still there is time; let us work together to save our country, our people and democracy, to establish rule of law as well as to show respect to renowned persons and fulfill basic demands of the people," said Khaleda who looked confident, frequently flashing smiles as she spoke. The Leader of the Opposition took the floor at the outset of the day's sitting and touched upon a number of burning national issues during her nearly 70-minute statement. She mentioned price-hike of essentials, shortage of gas-electricity-water, share market scam, deteriorating law and order, confusion over constitution as well as corruption, killing of Bangladesh nationals on the border by Indian Border Security Force (BSF), agreements with India and the issue of Prof Yunus. Bringing a series of allegations against the government, Khaleda demanded mid-term elections by dissolving parliament, considering the overall situation in the country. Earlier report adds: Opposition lawmakers led by Khaleda returned to parliament at 5:00pm Tuesday after a 73-day boycott of its sessions. Speaker Abdul Hamid welcomed the opposition members of parliament (MPs). But the MPs of the ruling party were silent at that time. "The opposition MPs have returned after a long period of absence. I hope they will stay in Parliament," the Speaker said. Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was not there, when the opposition MPs entered it. But Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury was present at the session.