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Disparate agendas hold back plan for opposition unity

REAZ AHMAD
Opposition political parties are discussing a raft of points to fashion a unity, but key ideological and policy issues are holding back their plans for the launch of a unified anti-government movement.
For over six months now, the main opposition Awami League (AL) held a string of formal and informal talks with other opposition parties, particularly with the left ones, for what it says freeing the nation from the four-party coalition misrule.
Parties both within and outside the left 11-party grouping, have come up with different agendas for AL's consideration before they join hands with the former ruling party.
In recent months, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) have illustrated different 'talking points' which they think would pave the way for a greater unity among themselves.
The 11 points of the JSD (Inu) and six points of the CPB have one demand in common -- banning the Jamaat-e-Islami and religionbased politics. But the AL, which joined forces with the Jamaat
against Khaleda Zia's previous government, is yet to respond to the talking points.
The CPB put forward its six points to the AL on August 10, asking the main opposition to agree on issues like reviving the four original state principles, trying war criminals, banning Jamaat, waging a movement against the US-led war and gas export and protesting divestment of state-owned enterprises and layoffs.
Similarly, the JSD (Inu) submitted its 11 points to the AL, also in August, laying out a formula for the formation of a national government after unseating the BNP-led alliance government.
To share its views with other parties, the JSD (Inu) circulated the points to the CPB, Workers Party, Samyabadi Dal and Gono Forum also.
Other salient features of the points are formation of a bicameral parliament, strong local government bodies, abolition of Article 70 of the constitution (that bars one from speaking against party-line in parliament) and amendment to Article 118 to give greater powers to ®he ^tar
the Election Commission.
The points also include constitution of independent investigation, anti-corruption and human rights commissions, scrapping of the official secrecy act and standardisation of the education system.
Four months into receipt of the talking points, the AL is yet to discuss the issues formally in any of its party forums -- the presidium and the central working committee.
Talking to The Daily Star, AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil acknowledged having the 'talking points' in hand and said, "The ground for a united movement is being worked out."
Hasanul Haq Inu of JSD told this correspondent that his party would move forward with the concept of a 'national government', which he thinks would evolve through the launch of a unified movement against the present regime.
Inu thinks the heap of problems facing the nation cannot be resolved by a political leader or a single party, a national government has to be established bringing together representatives from all progressive political parties to tackle the challenges.
"Neither a military government, nor an elected political government or a platform of eminent personalities would do. We need a national government that can handle the burning issues," Inu said.
CPB General Secretary
Mujahidul Islam Selim told The Daily Star that his party as well as the 11-party did not believe in "unity for the sake of a change of power. The course of movement against the misrule will determine the unity."
Selim does not see immediate formation of an alliance with the AL, but says he favours a synchronized movement against the BNP-led government.