14-party for consensus

There could be conflict among candidates of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance in the upcoming union parishad elections if a consensus was not reached by partners, fears a number of alliance components.

Even though the AL had decided to take part in the polls independently, Workers Party General Secretary Fazley Hossain Badsha at a meeting of the alliance partners at the AL president's Dhanmondi office yesterday asked for the consensus, sources in the meeting said.

He said if consensus was not reached before the polls, candidates of the 14-party alliance could show their muscle power and that would benefit the BNP-led combine.

AL leaders, however, did not clear their stance about the issue but said the matter would be discussed further in the next meeting, sources said.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) General Secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia chaired the meeting.

CUT TIES WITH PAKISTAN

Sources said leaders of National Awami Party (NAP) and Communist Kendra at the meeting demanded severing diplomatic ties with Pakistan over Pakistan's comments about the ongoing war trials.

NAP leader Enamul Haque and Communist Kendra leaders Wajedul Islam Khan and Asit Baron Roy said Pakistan had the audacity to interfere in Bangladesh's internal matter and thus Bangladesh should not maintain diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

Jatiya Party (Manju) General Secretary Sheikh Shahidul Islam requested the AL leadership to raise the issue in the Saarc forum.

Pakistan had raised questions about the war crimes trials. Pakistan national and provincial assemblies adopted resolution expressing concern over the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah.

The country last year officially questioned the ongoing trials, especially the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, and BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.

Bangladesh protested the move and warned Pakistan about interfering in its domestic issues.  

Tension between the two countries have risen after Bangladesh asked Pakistan to withdraw two of its diplomats last year in connection with terror financing and Pakistan asked Bangladesh to remove a Bangladeshi diplomat without citing any reason earlier this year.

Meanwhile, yesterday's alliance meeting decided to form a human chain on February 15 to protest Pakistan's interference in Bangladesh's internal issues and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's controversial remarks about the number of 1971 Liberation War martyrs.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, AL presidium member and 14-party spokesperson Mohammad Nasim said, “We hope that Pakistan will try to keep good relations with us. Otherwise, we have to think whether we will maintain diplomatic ties with Pakistan.”