DHAKA — Nine political parties are seeking to form a third alliance outside the electoral blocs led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, the spokesman for Ganadhikar Parishad said.
The parties are six in the Ganatantra Mancha alliance, NCP, Ganadhikar Parishad and AB Party, Faruk Hassan, spokesman for Ganadhikar Parishad, told reporters after an emergency meeting Wednesday at the central office of Bangladesh State Reform Movement.
“We have long been trying to do something new outside BNP and Jamaat in the 13th election,” Hassan said. “We have brought this back to the discussion table. Since none of us has formally joined an alliance with BNP or Jamaat, we are discussing whether we can become a third force or new alliance. We are sincere about this, and the people also want a new force to emerge. We will bring in other parties beyond the nine outside BNP and Jamaat.”
Akhtar Hossain, member secretary of NCP, said that although the party did not sign the July Charter, there have been talks with the Consensus Commission to resolve the crisis. “The government must take the decision to implement it,” he said. “If it fails, the government will lose its representation of the people.”
Hasnat Kaiyum, president of the State Reform Movement, said the government has given political parties seven days to unite on the July Charter and a referendum. “The parties have to take responsibility, we believe,” he said. “From that position we sat down to discuss how to find a solution. We are coming closer on some issues. We will also talk with other parties.”
Also present at the meeting were NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Ganadhikar Parishad general secretary Rashed Khan, Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque, Ganasamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, JSD senior vice president Tania Rob, Nagarik Oikya general secretary Shahidullah Kaiser and Bhasani Janashakti Party secretary general Dr. Abu Yusuf Selim, among others.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report