DHAKA, Oct 29, 2018 (BSS) – Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has responded positively to a proposal of dialogue made by the Jatiya Oikyafront saying AL has agreed to sit with the newly-floated political alliance.
“On behalf of the party, I am informing that we agree with the Jatiya Oikyafront’s proposal for dialogue,” he told a press conference today at the party president’s Dhanmondi political office here.
Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead dialogue from AL.
She does not want to close the doors of dialogue, he added.
The minister said the Oikyafront will be informed of the time, place and other related matters of the dialogue very soon.
Following the cabinet meeting, in an unscheduled discussion with her cabinet colleagues AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed the proposals of the Okiyafront.
He said the decision of sitting with the Oikyafront leaders was taken unanimously in the meeting.
“We will not set any pre-condition for holding the dialogue. We did not yield to anyone’s pressure as the proposal for holding dialogue did not come from us. Jatiya Oikyafront leaders want to hold dialogue. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not want to close the doors of dialogue,” he said.
Asked about the agenda of the dialogue, Quader said agenda of the dialogue would be fixed when the two sides will sit for the discussion.
Two letters- one written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and signed by Jatiya Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain and other written to him and signed by Mostafa Mohsin Mantu- were sent at the party president’s Dhanmondi political office on Sunday, he said.
In those letters the Jatiya Oikyafront called for holding a ‘meaningful dialogue’ with Awami League for a free, fair, peaceful and participatory election, he added.
AL Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Publicity Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, Office Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, Information and Research Secretary Advocate Afjal Hossain and Central Working Committee Member SM Kamal Hossain were present at the press conference.