ZCZC
BSS-56
PM-DIALOGUE 2ND LEAD 2 DHAKA
Quader said the dialogue was held for three and half hours beginning at 7
pm and its environment was very conducive.
He said the prime minister very attentively listened to the JOF leaders as
they spoke unobstructed and “on our behalf, the senior leaders spoke as well
at the dialogue”.
Asked about the premier’s response to JOF’s demand for constitution of the
polls-time government, he said “we clearly told them in the dialogue that
discussion on all matters will be held as per the constitution and the trend
of democracy will continue”.
“We cannot go beyond our constitution and our this stance was also
mentioned in the letter which the prime minister sent to Dr Kamal Hossain in
reply to his letter to the premier on October 28 asking for the dialogue,”
Quader.
In no parliamentary democracy, he said, general elections are not held
dissolving parliament.
The AL general secretary said the two sides agreed on some issues like
foreign election observers and holding of meeting and rallies without any
obstructions.
“The prime minister told them there will be freedom of expression and the
JOF can hold meetings wherever they want,” only requesting them not to hold
any meeting by closing roads.
Sheikh Hasina said the foreign polls observers will come and “we will have
support to them”.
About the use of Electronic Voting Machine, the prime minister said: “It’s
a modern system and “we support it” but the EC would like to use EVM in on a
limited scale during the coming polls.
About cases against Khaleda Zia, Quader said it is the matter of law and
court and there was no link between the dialogue and the court.
The AL general secretary said the two cases in which Khaleda Zia was
convicted was filed by the past caretaker government and “we didn’t lodge
these cases”.
Sheikh Hasina, however, requested Dr Kamal Hossain to provide a list of
such cases which he thinks politically motivated saying “steps will be taken
in this regard after investigation”.
The prime minister also made it clear that the army was not deployed with
magistracy power in any election since 1973 except the 2001 polls.
Quader opined that Dr Kamal Hossain has been convinced on many issues
following the talks with 14-party alliance.
He said Dr Kamal Hossain expressed satisfaction over the dialogue and
thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saying many things were unknown to him.
During the meeting, Sheikh Hasina assured the JOF leaders assurance of
keeping her door open for any further discussion.
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