The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday said they would continue
street protest until a satisfactory consensus is reached to resolve the
crisis over the election.
‘The ongoing programmes began before Taranco’s arrival... And it will go
on until a consensus is not arrived at’, BNP standing committee member
Nazrul Islam Khan said.
‘We sat for dialogue hoping for a satisfactory resolution, finding a way
for the resolution. So far it (resolution) has not come, we should
continue the street programmes... and you know, there is no such
development regarding the consensus,’ he added.
The BNP leader was talking to reporters at the party chairperson’s
office in Gulshan after a meeting with the visiting UN official Taranco
alongside Awami League leaders on Wednesday noon during the third spell
of blockade enforced by BNP-led alliance from November 26.
Replying to a question about the development of dialogue with Awami League, Nazrul said, ‘The dialogue is still going on’.
He said that the political parties should sit for dialogue and come for a
resolution on holding elections with participation of all parties.
‘But we did not do that... thanks to Taranco for his mediation. But the
dialogue should not be stopped after Taranco leaving the country’, he
said.
Replying to a question, the BNP leader said the UN official can play a
role of mediator in the national matter. ‘The UN is our institution. It
can send a delegation to discuss with its family members when we cannot
reach for a solution,’ he said.
Nazrul alleged that the government chose the path of repression to stay
in power. ‘The country is now a big jail... They (government) have
unleashed war against the people. They are now conducting mass killing,
enforced disappearance, arrest and attacks.’
He alleged that two leaders and activists were killed during Wednesday’s
blockade while 715 were injured including 70 persons with bullet wounds
in clashes with law enforcers and ruling party men, 70 were arrested,
cases were filed against 1,500 activists and there were five enforced
disappearances across the country. (source)