UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called for a government-opposition dialogue for resolving the current political impasse in Bangladesh and holding a participatory general election in the country.
The top executive of the world body made the call when he telephoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the morning and later the opposition leader, Khaleda Zia in the evening. The Prime Minister assured the UN secretary general that her government believes in resolution of issues through political dialogue and discussions and that it had urged opposition BNP to join such talks and place their proposal on an election-time government.
Opposition leader Khaleda Zia also told Ban Ki-moon that they too believe that there is no alternative to dialogue and are ready to participate in a dialogue with the government at any time. But her party BNP will not participate in any election under the ruling Awami League, she categorically told the UN secretary general.
Ban Ki-moon told the BNP chief that the UN has been closely watching the Bangladesh political situation as the world body would like to see a peaceful election participated by all parties of the country.
In response, opposition leader Khaleda Zia told the UN secretary general that a non-party and neutral caretaker government and an impartial Election Commission are needed to hold such a free, fair and peaceful participatory election in the country.
The government always attaches great importance to dialogue for resolving any issue, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday.
“We’ll welcome any proposal from the BNP,” Sheikh Hasina, who is also president of the ruling Awami League, told the secretary general.
“The Prime Minister had a free and frank discussion on a wide range of issues, including the forthcoming parliamentary election, with the UN Secretary General,” her newly appointed media adviser, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, told The Independent over the telephone.
“Earlier, we offered a proposal for dialogue to the Opposition, but they issued a 48-hour ultimatum to us. They also tried to topple an elected government and destroy the country’s peace and political stability by
resorting to terrorism, anarchy and sabotage,” she told the UN top boss.
The Prime Minister assured Ban-Ki moon that the next general election would be held in due time under the present government and the existing Election Commission and power would be transferred in an orderly fashion to those who would be elected by the people. She informed the UN Secretary General that the Opposition had tabled an adjournment motion on an election-time government in Parliament, but withdrew it shortly afterwards, even though the treasury benches had agreed to discuss the issue in the House.
Referring to the 15th amendment to the Constitution, the Prime Minister said it was carried out following the verdict of the Supreme Court. She said a parliamentary special committee was tasked to make this amendment. “Apart from lawmakers, the committee discussed the issue with all stakeholders. No such discussion was ever held in Bangladesh’s
parliamentary history before making an amendment to the Constitution,” the Premier told Ban.
The PM’s press secretary, Abul Kalam Azad, said the UN Secretary General lauded Bangladesh’s success in the fields of democracy, economic growth and millennium development goals under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
“Bangladesh has been acclaimed internationally for its firm stand against terrorism, militancy and fundamentalism,” Azad quoted the UN secretary general as having said.
“The world needs leaders like Sheikh Hasina,” the UN chief executive said. Mr Ban expressed the hope that Bangladesh’s advancement in democracy, economy and anti-militant activities would continue under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
During the 30-minute conversation that started at 11.30 am, the UN Secretary General invited the Prime Minister to attend the next UN General Assembly session slated for next month. Sheikh Hasina accepted the invitation, but said her participation would depend on the prevailing situation as Parliament would be in session at that time.
The Prime Minister invited Mr Ban to visit Bangladesh at a time of his convenience.
The UN Secretary General took the opportunity to express his sympathy for the assassination of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and most of his family members in 1975, and the August 21 grenade attack in 2004 that claimed
the lives of 24 AL leaders and workers.
UNB adds: Hours after his telephone conversion with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also phoned opposition leader Khaleda Zia and discussed various issues, including the next general election.
Ban Ki-moon made the phone call to the opposition leader around 6:45pm and talked for over half-an hour, Khaleda Zia’s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas told UNB.
He said the UN chief discussed the overall political situation of the country with the opposition leader.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam is going to brief media about the telephone conversation between Khaleda and Ban Ki-moon at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he added.