Dialogue offer a ploy to cling to power: Jalil
Our Correspondent, Kushtia
Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil has once again rejected the government's proposal for dialogue, terming it the ruling alliance's last resort to cling to power. "There will be no result from such dialogue because they (BNP-Jamaat government) do not want to identify the root of the problem and take appropriate action", he said. "They are talking of dialogue and in the same breath blaming the opposition for the crisis created by them", Jalil told a public meeting here. The BNP-Jamaat government creates the situation so responsibilities lie with them. "Why the 14-party alliance would hold dialogue when our party activists are oppressed and killed?". The public meeting was organised by the local unit of the opposition alliance in to protest government's failure to protect citizens' lives and to run the country. The only solution now is resignation of the government, he said. Held at Kushtia Public Library ground, the meeting spilled over to adjoining NS Road, the main road in the town, halting traffic for about three hours. Presided over by Kushtia Awami League President Khondakara Rashiduzzaman Dudu, it was addressed by, among others, AL district secretary Ajgar Ali and party leader Amir-Ul-Islam, JSD President Hasanul Haq Inu, Workers Party leader Noor Ahmed Bakul and Kushtia Municipality Chairman Anwar Ali Jalil said the government did not care when Awami League and some other parties earlier urged it to contain the rise of fundamentalist forces. This has branded Bangladesh abroad as a country of terrorists and fundamentalists, the AL general secretary said. "BNP leaders then called us propagandists. This was only to save their ally Jamaat which shelters fundamentalist groups. "Besides, in one hand, BNP secretary general is offering dialogue and on the other hand its chairperson is blaming us. Why 14-party alliance would sit for dialogue while fundamentalist Jamaat is with BNP?. Referring to the resolution adopted at Awami League Central Working Committee's (ALCWC) meeting, he said the 14-party alliance has already decided to turn the on-going agitation into a mass upsurge to topple the government. Jalil urged the people to intensify the agitation to dislodge the government in greater interest of the country and its people.
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