I'll hold dialogue the day Biden holds dialogue with Trump: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has raised a question about recommendations to hold dialogue with “killers”. She also stated that the upcoming 12th parliamentary election will be held on time.

Sheikh Hasina said she does not care who glares menacingly at her, she added.

The prime minister was answering questions of newspersons at a media conference organised at her official residence, Ganabhaban, on Tuesday afternoon to share her experiences at the ‘Global Gateway Forum’ in Brussels.

The newsperson asked how she viewed the US ambassador's hope that they hold dialogues unconditionally.

In responses, the prime minister said, “Dialogue with whom? Who is the opposition? The opposition is the party who has seats in parliament. Even in the US the parties outside of this are not considered as opposition. What would they say about Trump? They are the opposition. Though we don’t follow their (political) system.”

At this stage the prime minister highlighted the acts of violence centring the mass rally of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Dhaka on 28 October, and said why no question was asked to him (Peter Haas) when some people were killed? They demanded a trial when Hero Alom came under someone’s attack during a by-election. Why did he not demand any trial when a police member was killed and journalists were attacked?

Sheikh Hasina said, “What dialogue could be there with the killers after the way a police member had been killed? What discussion? Can there be a dialogue with the people who could kill people in that way, and destroy development activities? Let him have his dinner, let him have dialogue. This is sovereign Bangladesh. Even the people of his country will not seek a dialogue with the killers. People hate the BNP and Jamaat. People from Canada are coming to depose.”

Raising questions on the role of different international human rights organisations on the incidents of 28 October, she said, “Why are they silent now? Why are the international human rights organisations including Amnesty International keeping mum? Where has their conscience gone?”

The prime minister further asked why the intellectuals in the country are also silent now.

Another journalist wanted to know which foreign power had been glaring menacingly at the politics in Bangladesh. He also wanted to know her remarks on the overall political situation.

Prime minister said, “The election will be held and it will be held on time. I don’t care about who would glare menacingly.”

Speaking about the development activities in the country, she said the development activities have not only been conducted in Dhaka, but also in villages.

The prime minister touched upon the issue of dialogue while responding to this question as well.

He said, “Those who say about holding dialogue even after murdering, dialogue with whom? Is Biden holding a dialogue with Mr Trump? I'll hold the dialogue the day Biden would hold dialogue with Mr Trump.”

De facto opposition BNP organised a mass rally in Dhaka on 28 October as part of its ongoing movement seeking resignation of the partisan government and holding the upcoming parliamentary elections under a non-partisan neutral government.

Leaders and activists of the party from across the country gathered at Naya Paltan and adjacent areas on the day. But sporadic clashes erupted between the BNP leaders and activists and police that day, leading to the death of a police constable and a Jubo Dal leader.

The grand rally of the BNP was foiled after this. Police on the next day arrested BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while many other senior leaders went into hiding. 

Amid this the party has started a three-day alla out blockade across the country from today, Tuesday.

In this context, the US ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas held a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon.

Following the meeting, he spoke to the media and said that there is no room for conflict among any parties involved in democratic elections.

He expressed his hope that all parties would engage in an unconditional dialogue to address concerns and facilitate free and peaceful elections in Bangladesh.

The prime minister addressed the media conference several hours after the statement of the US ambassador.