Sylhet Bureau/

Citizens Sylhet District Committee for good governance has made a human chain by calling for dialogue and reconciliation between political parties to resolve the existing political crisis.

This human chain was organized in front of Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday (August 5) at 11 am.

Advocate Shah Shaheda Akhter gave a welcome speech under the chairmanship of Farooq Mahmud Chowdhury, president of Nagarik Sylhet district committee for good governance and joint secretary Mizanur Rahman. Concept paper was read by Professor Dr. Tahmina Islam. Edco Executive Director Lakshikant Singh, Shabir Professor Anwara Begum, Shabir Associate Professor Abul Kasem Ujjwal, Syed Advocate Kawshar Ahmad, Banker Saleh Ahmad Chowdhury, Abdul Mueed, Advocate Mohit Lal Dhar, Shahid Ahmed Khan Saber, NGO Worker Nankali etc.

The speakers in the human chain said that according to the constitutional obligation, the 12th National Parliament election is scheduled to be held between 1 November 2023 and 29 January 2024. And if the parliament is dissolved for any reason, there is a provision to hold this election within the next ninety days. We want this election to be participatory and competitive. But the prevailing political reality is not conducive to participatory and competitive elections. Because, the ruling Bangladesh Awami League and its allies want the elections to be held under the current constitution, that is, under the party government.

On the other hand, the agitating political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, want elections under a neutral electoral government. Already, these political parties have started a movement with a one-point demand of ‘resignation of the government’. As the election approaches, the streets are heating up. Public suffering is increasing due to the counter programs of political parties. Incidents of collisions and loss of life are also happening on the roads.

Sujan feels that if the political parties do not change their position immediately or if there is no compromise between them, then in the days to come we may be headed towards a situation of extreme conflict as a nation, the country may move towards an uncertain future – which no one wants.

A participatory, competitive, peaceful as well as fair and acceptable election requires dialogue and mutual understanding among political parties. The political parties have to determine the important issues and compromises for compromise through dialogue.

Various demands were raised by Sujan in the human chain.

Sujan’s appeal to the political parties taking into consideration the above-mentioned context – to resolve the political crisis created ahead of the 12th National Assembly elections, sit in the dialogue and come to an agreement immediately in the interest of the public; Determine the type of government (party/multi-party/non-party caretaker/national) the election will be held under; Define precisely who and what role the participants will play in order to make the election participatory, peaceful and meaningful; Determine the highest priority tasks for the winning party to form the government; How will those in the opposition play a constructive role; Determine that; What measures will be taken if a party violates this MoU; Determine it. I also call for the inclusion of the following pledges in the MoU: Pledge that whichever party wins the elections and forms the government, we will strengthen the constitutional and statutory institutions, including public administration and law enforcement, and keep them free from partisanship; To make recruitment laws for constitutional and statutory institutions and take initiatives to provide recruitment based on the law; We will adhere to the policy of ‘zero tolerance’ against corruption; I will take the necessary steps to make Bangladesh a truly non-sectarian, democratic, justice-based, welfare-oriented state; To deal with any state crisis, I will take the initiative of dialogue between the political parties and consultation with representatives of civil society if necessary: Sujan-Government and the ruling party are called upon to take the initiative of dialogue to resolve the crisis. Press release