Interim govt begins dialogue with political parties today 

The interim government is set to hold a series of dialogue with political parties from today, Saturday, with the six reform commissions and the overall situation on the table. 

The dialogue will open with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at state guest house Jamuna around 2:30 pm, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and some other political parties will attend separate discussions later. 

The council of advisers, led by chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, will participate in the discussions. It is the third spell of dialogue with political parties since the interim government’s assumption of the office. 

The government has officially formed five separate commissions to reform the election system, police force, judiciary, public administration, and anti-corruption mechanism, while another commission has been in the pipeline to reform the constitution. 

According to sources, the dialogues will explore ways for cooperation of the political parties to the reform commissions. Besides, the upcoming Hindu festival of Durga Puja, law and order situation, and other developments since 9 September will be on the table during the discussions. 

It was learned that BNP, Jamaat, Gantantra Mancha, Bam Ganatantrik Jot (left democratic alliance), Hefazat-e-Islam, and Islami Andolan will sit with the interim government separately on the first day of dialogue. 

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will lead their delegation. In this regard, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, standing committee member of the BNP, said through a bloody mass-uprising, the people overthrew a dictatorship that had destroyed the state structure and its character.

Now, the people hope for a democratically elected parliament as well as a government accountable to them. “It is possible only through an election. Keeping this in mind, there is no alternative to approaching the people upon completion of the necessary reforms,” he added. 

Sources said the government will not invite Awami League and its allies in the 14-party alliance to the dialogues. Also, the Jatiya Party has not yet been invited.