The informal initiatives the ruling Awami League took to win support of small political parties, which include some Islamic organisations, as a part of its move to expand the alliance failed to get a positive response.
Leaders of a number of political parties either directly or indirectly expressed their reluctance at joining the ruling alliance while the Islamic political parties tagged the condition of the retention of the phrase 'absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah' in the preamble to the constitution to their joining the alliance, sources in the Awami League and political parties concerned said.
A few of the political parties, however, remained silent in this regard, according to sources in the Awami League.
The failure to win the support is now prompting AL leaders to re-think the issue to establish an effective communication with the parties further after Eid, they said.
The Liberal Democratic Party chairman, Oli Ahmed, directly expressed his interest in joining movements with the opposition alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
'Both the parties came to me but I have already given commitment to the BNP leaders,' Oli Ahmed told New Age.
He said that a three member committee, led by the LDP secretary general, had already held three meetings with the BNP delegation, led by its secretary general, to decide the ways to work together and wage movements against the government.
The Krishak Sramik Janata League president, Abdul Kader Siddiq, told New Age on Sunday, 'I am working inside my party and preparing myself to make a decision. The decision will be taken in due time.'
the Bangladesh Kalyan Party chairman, Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, said that his party had received invitation from both the Awami League and the BNP but his party had finally decided to support the BNP in its movement demanding the reinstatement of the caretaker government provision.
'As we want the caretaker government provision reinstated, we have decided to express solidarity with the BNP in the caretaker government movement,' he told New Age, adding that AL leader Obaidul Quader and BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had communicated with him separately.
The Awami League in July communicated with some political parties to form a common platform before the next general elections to face the BNP-led alliance politically.
AL presidium member Obaidul Quader, organising secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanok, office secretary Abdul Mannan Khan, environment affair secretary Hasan Mahmud, religious affairs secretary Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and chairman of a faction of the Islami Oikya Jote, also a component of the AL-led alliance, Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury separately communicated with the political parties, including Liberal Democratic Party, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Kalyan Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and Gana Forum and groups informally in the initial stage but failed to get any positive response.
Obaidul Quader, however, brushed aside the proposition that the move was meant for expansion of the alliance. He rather said that it was a move to reach an understanding with the political parties on some common national issues.
'Although we did not get positive response from all, such an understanding was essential to create a friendly political atmosphere,' Quader told New Age, adding that they held informal communications and it would be more fruitful if formal discussions could be held.
'It is a wrong concept that we are trying to expand our alliance as it is not the time for alliance expansion and it could be considered later before the polls,' he said.
He said that the ruling party was just trying to create a stable political situation and it would also communicate with the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
'But at this moment we are thinking about improving our relationship with the components of the alliance as a gap has already been created with them on some issues,' said Quader, adding that the Awami League would take a move to narrow the gap with its components after Eid.
Islami Oikya Jote leader Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury also held meetings with the leaders of the Islami Andalon Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Khelafat Andalon, Islami Oikya Andalon, Bangladesh Islamic Party and Olama Mashayekh Parishad expressing the Awami League's interest in holding dialogues with them but he did not get any positive response.
Misbahur told New Age that he had informed the prime minister of the development of the meetings with the Islamic organisations.
'Leaders of the seven organisations set a condition to the dialogue that the government should retain phrase "Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah" in the constitution,' he told New Age, adding that he would sit with the Islamic organisations before Eid.
The Awami League's religious affairs secretary Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah said that any direct move to with the support of the Islamic parties was yet to be taken but the move will be taken soon.
Source : New Age
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