DHAKA, Feb 2, 2019 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today hosted a tea
party for the leaders of political alliances and organisations who joined the
prime minister’s dialogue before the last general election.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, hosted the tea party for
them at the South Lawn of Ganabhaban, the official residence of the prime
minister, here this afternoon.
Front ranking leaders of different political parties including Awami
League, Jatiya Party, Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASOD-Inu),
JAPA (Monju), JASOD (Ambia), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), Ganotantri
Party, Samyabadi Dal, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, Tariqat
Federation, Bangladesh Nationalist Front attended the tea party.
The prime minister arrived at the venue at 4:10 pm and exchanged
pleasantries with the leaders.
She went round different tables set for the guests, talked to them and
enquired about their well-being.
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, senior AL leaders Amir
Hossain Amu, Begum Matia Chowdhury, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Sheikh Fazlul
Karim Selim, Nurul Islam Nahid, Obaidul Quader, Faruk Khan, Abdul Matin
Khashru, Dr Abdur Razzak, Dr Hasan Mahmud, Industries Minister Nurul Majid
Mahmud Humayun, Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Education
Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Jatiya Party senior leader and former opposition
leader Begum Raushan Ershad, Jatiya Party Co-Chairman GM Quader, Secretary
General Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Ruhul Amin Hawlader, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu,
Anisul Islam Mahmud, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Sunil Shubho Roy, JAPA (Manju)
President Anwar Hossain Manju, JASOD President Hasanul Haque Inu and General
Secretary Shirin Akhtar, JASOD (Ambia) leaders Moinuddin Khan Badal and
Nazmul Haque Prodhan, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and General
Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha joined the tea party.
Besides, Bikalpa Dhara President Dr Badruddoza Chowdhury, General Secretary
Major (retd) MA Mannan, Mahi B Chowdhury, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Islami
Oikya Jote President Alhaz Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury, Tariqat Federation
President Alhaj Nojibul Bashar Maizbhandari, Samyabadi Dal President Dilip
Barua, BNF President Barrister Nazmul Huda and other leaders of Awami League,
14-party combine, PM’s advisers and secretaries concerned to the prime
minister were present on the occasion.
The lush green south lawn of Ganabhaban was tastefully decorated with kure
ghar, mat, mora and earthen pots, while patriotic songs were played on the
occasion.
The guests were entertained with traditional foods and cakes of Bangladesh
including chatpati, fuchka, muri, chanachur, and bhapa, chitai, patisapta and
puli pitha, zilapi, kebab, nan ruti.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, on behalf of the prime minister, later
thanked the leaders of the political alliances and organisations who joined
the premier’s tea party.
“You joined today’s function spontaneously and your presence is very
encouraging,” he said.
Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said: “We didn’t only
exchange pleasantries, we also shared views on different issues including
political ones alongside having winter cakes.”
Regarding the prime minister’s invitation to the tea party, the AL general
secretary said: “I hope that you felt well at the good initiative of the
prime minister.”
Quader said the political leaders joined the prime minister’s dialogue at
Ganabhaban before the December 30 polls and held open discussions with the
premier.
“At the end of the election, we seek your cooperation and the prime
minister wants to fulfill her electoral pledges that she made before the
nation word by word,” he said.
The AL general secretary said: “On behalf of our leader, I sought your
active cooperation in this regard.”
According to a source at the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier invited
leaders of 54 political parties to her tea party. The leaders of all
political parties except BNP-led Jatiya Oikyafront attended the tea party,
the source added.
The prime minister held dialogues with the political parties at her
official Ganabhaban residence from Nov 1-7 ahead of the 11th parliamentary
elections held on December 30.