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Free Khaleda, hold polls by year-end

Demands Saifur-led BNP faction in talks with advisers

Staff Correspondent
Pro Sai fur faction of BNP yesterday called for immediate release of Chairperson Khaleda Zia at a meeting with advisers to the caretaker government at state guesthouse Meghnainthecity.
During the discussions preparatory to the planned dialogue between the government and political parities, they also demanded a free and fair election by this year-end, and proposed devising a code of conduct for the politicians to ensure discipline in post-election politics.
Besides, the pro-reform BNP leaders called for steps to bring down the prices of essentials without delay.
Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman,
Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff and LG RD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal represented the government in the discussion.
Standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman led the BNP delegation that included Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, acting secretary general appointed by the standing committee, vice-presidents Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf and Osman Farruk, chairperson's advisers Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan and Mofazzal Karim, and former lawmaker Fazlul Azim.
Meanwhile, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, secretary general appointed by Khaleda Zia, yesterday said the government is not sincere in resolving the present crises through dialogue with political parties, or else it would not have met Saifur group instead of the 'mainstream BNP'.
Describing the pro-reform faction as 'BNP manufactured in
the government factory', he alleged that the caretaker administration government is staging a drama in the name of dialogue.
Delwar was talking to reporters after an emergency meeting with his party colleagues.
He, however, did not rule out the possibility of accepting the government’s invitation for unofficial talks. "We may join the talks with consent from the chairperson," he observed.
Earlier in the day, the preparatory talks between the seven member pro-Saifur delegation and the advisers lasted for about two hours, beginning at 12:30pm.
Coming out of the meeting. Maj (retd) Hafiz told reporters that they have demanded release of Chairperson Khaleda Zia since charges against her arc 'unsubstantiated'.
At the meeting they said the held by this December as men-tioned in the Election Commission's roadmap, otherwise democracy would be in grave peril.
Hafiz said they also discussed the price hike of food items and recommended measures for the government to arrest the upward spiral.
A code of conduct for the political parties to ensure discipline in post-election politics should be formulated through discussions between the government and political parties, lie added.
"It would help to nut politics in order after the polls and also ensure that parliament is the centre of everything." Hafiz said, adding that people must not be held hostage to the whims of political parties resorting to programmes like hartal and blockade.
Replying to a query, Lt Gen (retd) Manbubur Rahman said since elections cannot be held under the state of emergency, they have demanded its withdrawal as soon as possible.
Terming the talks 'fruitful', Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said the BNP leaders have placed some specific proposals and those will help the formal dialogue to succeed.
"They have demanded implementation of the electoral roadmap while we have assured them that both the government and the Election Commission are working towards a meaningful and credible election,” he said, adding that the discussants have agreed on the need for a qualitative change in politics.
Referring to the proposal for a code of conduct, he said, “It is indeed a good suggestion and would be discussea in details during the formal talks
The adviser said the BNP delegation agreed with the government's idea of holding dialogue with people alongside the political parties.
“The leaders believe a code of conduct drawn up through talks
will have the potential to be .1 Magna Carta by bringing about a qualitative change in politics," hr continued.
According to Hossain Zillur, the BNP leaders will support whatever decision the government would take regarding timing of the local government elections.
‘They even said the government can hold upazila election at any time," the adviser added
Before going to the state guesthouse, the faction leaders met at acting chairman M Sai fur Rahman's Gulshan residence.
A meeting of party leaders and former lawmakers will be held at a Gulshan community centre today to decide on the next course of action.
PRO KHALEDA LEADERS' REACTION
On the new’s of unofficial talks between advisers and Saifur-led faction, the leaders loyal to the now detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia held an emergency meeting at Khandaker Delwar's Nam flat.
During the four-hour long meeting from 11:00am, they decided they would take part in the talks if the interim government allows them to consult the detained chairperson.
Standing committee members RA Gani and Tanveer Ahmed Siddique, chairperson's Advisers Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah and Mushfiqur Rahman, vice-prcsidents MK Anwar and Sarwari Rahman, joint secretaries general Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Selima Rahman and MA Mannan, among others, attended the meeting.
The leaders also decided to take up programmes to press home the demand for Khaleda's release. They might also send a letter to the EC asking it not to invite anyone except Khandaker Delwar to represent BNP in the electoral reforms talks.
"The government is actually staging a drama by holding talks with a BNP manufactured in the government factory. It's unfortunate,” Delwar told newsmen.