\\\'Talks with BNP possible if it accepts govt as a lawful one\\\'

Dr Abdur Razzak, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Finance Ministry, said Tuesday that talks with BNP could be held if it accepts the present government as legitimate, reports BSS.
"The parliament polls of January 5 were held in accordance with the constitution. But, BNP did a mistake by not taking part in the polls. As BNP didn't participate in the polls, many of our candidates were elected unopposed. It's not Awami League (AL)'s responsibility, but BNP's. Now many personalities are expressing their remarks on the matter. Some of them are in favour of talks with BNP," Dr Razzak, agriculture affairs secretary of the ruling AL and former food minister, said this while speaking as the chief guest at a review meeting on agriculture and food security matters in the proposed national budget for 2014-15.
"Khani Bangladesh", a non-government organisation, organised the meeting with the assistance of ActionAid Bangladesh at Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the city Tuesday.
Country director of Action Aid Farah Kabir, former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University Dr Abdul Mannan Akhand, general secretary of Nagorik Sanghati Sharifuzzaman Sharif and Subal Sarker were the discussants. Chief Reporter of GTV Raju Ahmed presented the keynote paper.
Pointing at BNP leadership, Dr Razzak said: "Instead of taking part in the January 5 polls, BNP indulged in politics of killing people by enforcing hartal-siege programmes across the country."
He said: "They (BNP) should be more responsible for the country's interest. Though they are not in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament), they could opt for constructive criticism of the proposed budget by convening press conferences and through other procedures."
Dr Razzak said the only way left for offsetting the losses incurred in the agriculture output is to bring changes in the agriculture technology as arable land in the country has been declining every year.