BNP has raised a proposal for unity on Sunday during a meeting with Jukto Front and Jatiya Oikko Prokriya.
The proposal asked if it would be possible to leave out Jamaat from a 20 party alliance. However, no clear decision was taken in this regard.
At the meeting, ASM Abdur Rab of Jukto Front, Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Tania Rab, Maj (retd) Abdul Mannan, Mostafa Mohsin Montu of Jatiya Oikko Prokriya, ABM Mostafa Amin, Sultan Monsur Ahmed were present with BNP represented by Mirza Fakhrul, Khondokar Mosharraf Hossain and barrister Moudud Ahmed.
At the meeting, Moudud stressed the need to come out on the roads to make the alliance effective.
Meanwhile, Jukto Front and Jatiya Oikko Prokriya will first decide on movement, election and formation of government before taking any steps.
It’s believed that there will be another meeting on Monday to discuss unity and future course of action. Jukto Front may press for 150 seats. Reportedly, Jukto Front and Jaitya Oikko leaders are still not assured of BNP’s promise of 100 seats.
Secretary General of Bikalpa Dhara, told Bangla Tribune, “Discussion has begun, no decision has been taken on programme and we will move step by step.”
Mahmudur Rahman Manna, said, “We will have more discussion on Monday.”
So far, leaders who took part in the previous meeting have given consent to the Jukto Front-Jatiya Oikko five-point demands, which includes the demand for the release of Khaleda Zia.
ASM Abdur Rab said, “We have reached a consensus on the five-point demands and will decide on the pre-election campaign after future discussions.”
The demands of Juktofront and Jatiya Oikko are: 1. Level playing field for all parties during election, dissolution of current parliament before declaration of election schedule and formation of neutral poll-time government by people who cannot be candidates in the election, 2. Ensuring freedom of media, TV, social media platforms to ensure proper and fair election; reformation of the election commission with acceptable persons after discussion, 3. Withdrawal of all false cases against students who took part in the quota reform and safe road movements, 4. Deployment of army with magistracy power from one month prior to election till the tenth day after the polls, 5. Discarding the plan to use EVMs during election, carrying out amendments to the Representation of the People’s Order, RPO, to make it beneficial for the masses.
After the Sunday meeting, BNP leader, Moudud Ahmed, said, “The meeting was fruitful.”
On Sunday’s meeting, Dr Kamal Hossain and Badruddoza Chowdhury were not present.
While the meeting was going on, a dinner was held at the home of Opu Chowdhury, nephew of B Chowdhury, where US ambassador Marcia Bernicat, Faiz Sobhan, former state minister Abul Hassan Chowdhury, Bikalpa Dhara joint secretary general Mahi B Chowdhury were present.
“It was a family event,” commented Mahi B Chowdhury.