Staff correspondent

Politicians from both sides of the partisan divide on Thursday stressed the need for holding dialogues among themselves before participating in the proposed talks with the military-backed interim government.

They said that politicians must reach a consensus on some basic issues including freeing politics, withdrawal of the state of emergency, implementation of the plan of the government and the Election Commission to hold the national polls by the end of 2008 and how the country would be run after the polls.

They expressed the views at a discussion on ‘dialogue: its process and agenda’ organised by Bangla daily Amader Shomoy. ‘Democratic political forces must hold discussions among themselves before going for talks with the government so that the people’s aspirations could be properly reflected in the elections,’ Awami League presidium member Abdur Razzak said.

Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon said, ‘We want that politicians, excluding the persons who had been involved in war crimes and militant activities, should reach a consensus on some basic issues before the government starts its planned dialogues with the political parties. It is important to make the elections fair and credible.’

He said the interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed must have ‘full’ authority to make important decisions so that the dialogue does not become a ‘farce’. Tofail Ahmed, an Awami League presidium member, said the politicians should hold discussions with the key persons of the interim government. ‘The chief adviser, the chief election commissioner and the army chief are in the foreground.

We must hold dialogue with those who are discernable even if there are forces behind the scenes.’ He said the politicians should try if they could reach a ‘historic’ decision against the war criminals and militants. BNP vice chairman MK Anwar also said that the politicians should hold ‘inter-party’ discussions on important issues.

Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a BNP joint secretary general, criticised the Election Commission for interfering in the internal affairs of BNP. ‘It should not poke its nose into the internal affairs of a political party,’ he said.

It will be impossible to hold elections keeping BNP out of the process, he added. The Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary, Mujahidul Islam Selim, stressed the need for taking people’s views into account before determining the next political courses.

Ganatantri Party president Mohammad Nurul Islam, BNP leader Mofazzal Karim, Jatiya Party leaders Anisul Islam Mahmud and GM Quader, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh secretary general Abdul Mannan, JSD executive president Moinuddin Khan Badal, Jatiya Party secretary general Sheikh Shahidul Islam and Abul Hasan Chowdhury of PDP also participated in the discussion moderated by Naimul Islam Khan.a

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