Oikyafront want to talk PM again

Jatiya Oikyafront has sent a letter to the Election Commission (EC) asking it not to announce the schedule of 11th parliamentary election before dialogue ends.

The letter singed by Dr Kamal Hossain, top leader of the newly formed political alliance, was submitted to the concerned branch of EC on Saturday afternoon (November 3).

In the letter addressed to the chief election commissioner, Kamal Hossain said the confidence of the political parties and the people in the election commission will enhacne if it defers announcement of the election schedule.

The publicity secretary of the Gano Forum, the party Kamal heads, Rafiqul Islam Pothik, brough the the letter to the EC secretariat on Saturday afternoon.

Kamal Hossain, quoting AL general secretary Obaidul Quader as saying that it is under their consideration to hold another round of dialogue with the Oikya Front after 8 November.

The government is holding the dialogue with political parties ahead of the 11th parliamentary elections due at the yearend or early next year.

The Jatiya Oikya Front led by Kamal Hossain held the first round of dialogue with the Awami League-led 14-party alliance. AL president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina led the incumbents at the talks held at her official Ganabhaban residence on 1 November.

While leaving Ganabhaban, Kamal Hossain told newsmen said it was a good discussion.

However, while briefing newsmen at his Baily Road residence, he said, "We have found no specific solution [to the current crisis] in the dialogue."

The Jatiya Oikya Front including the BNP has placed a seven-point demand for holding a free and fair election.

The demands include installation of a neutral interim government, dissolution of parliament, reconstitution of the election commission, release of all the political prisoners including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, deployment of the army personnel and cancellation of the move to use EVM for holding the next polls in a fair manner.