BNP favours compromise at dialogue on reforms

"I am very happy over the dialogue... and optimistic that there will be an amicable compromise. We surely want this," he said while speaking as chief guest at a discussion in the city.

The discussion titled 'Multi-party democracy and President Ziaur Rahman' was organised by Bangladesh Sangskritik Academy (BSA) at the National Press Club.

The dialogue means discussions with open mind to reach an agreement on holding an election in a congenial environment, but the opposition wants to compel the government to remove Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz and refrain from appointing Justice KM Hasan as chief of next caretaker government, Moudud said referring to Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina's speeches.

"What is the necessity of dialogue if everything has to be accepted," he asked and added that AL is arrogant in its attitude, which is why its leader has asked people for getting ready with poles and oars of boat if the government does not accept the reform proposals.

"This is not democracy. Can poles and oars be the language of democracy," he posed a question, adding that everything to be discussed during the dialogue must be within the framework of the constitution.

Moudud, who was the vice-president during Ershad's autocratic rule, said President Ziaur Rahman and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had played the most important role in establishing democracy in the country, while the formulation of the Constitution of 1972 was the only contribution of AL to democracy.

But the AL destroyed its contribution by introducing one-party government through the 4th amendment of the constitution, he said.

"Democracy is our capital and we have to protect it. The opposition who destroyed democracy cannot uphold it," said Moudud, also BNP's standing committee member.

Speaking as special guest BNP Joint Secretary General Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said AL does not understand the language of democracy.

"When the dialogue is on, AL chief is threatening the government with the launching of agitation if reform proposals are not accepted. This is not the way of talking in a democracy," he said, adding that there is nothing in the proposals that interest people but the AL only.

Gayeshwar said media of the country now supports only AL which imposed restrictions on the publication of newspapers when it first came to power after the War of Liberation.

It was President Ziaur Rahman who gave freedom to media, but the accusations made by today's media are all against Khaleda, he added.

Gayeshwar said, "There is no account of falsehoods in the media in the name of truth. There are some ill-motive intellectuals who are doing this."