National Elections and Removal of Emergency

During its first-round dialogue with the Caretaker Government CPB has demanded that the promise to conduct free and fair national elections and the handing over power to the elected govt. before the end of 2008 be fulfilled. CPB cautioned against any attempt to deviate from the repeatedly declared ‘road map’ for national election and said that in such a case the country will be hurled into a disastrous situation and it will be suicidal for the whole country. CPB said that the ensuring of relatively free, fair and credible national elections before Dec. 2008 is the pivotal issue and the central task in the road to the restoration of democratic process in the country. CPB also urged upon the caretaker govt. to immediately withdraw all restriction that have been imposed for the last 15 months under the Emergency Rules. CPB put forward these and other views regarding the political and socio-economic situation prevailing in the country during its dialogue with the caretaker govt. on held at the Meghna State Guest House 21 April. Four of the Advisors of the CG were present during the dialogue, where a 5 member delegation of CPB, which included its acting President and its General Secretary, put forward the Party’s views on 13 issues. During the 115 minute dialogue the issues of spiraling inflation, food crisis, problems of the daily life and livelihood of the common people, handing over of exploration and extraction rights of gas and oil fields to western multinational companies, disasterous consequences of planned open pit mining of coal in Fulbari etc. were raised by CPB leaders. The first-round dialogue was supposedly a preparation for the formal dialogue between the caretaker govt. and the political parties scheduled to take place in early May. CPB opined that such dialogues should not be reduced to formal stage, shows-but should be a genuine attempt for consultation and exchange of opinion. Such communication should have been started from the very beginning of the taking over of power by the present CG. Though late, it was a welcome and positive initiative and should be continued as a regular practice in the spirit of mobilising the collective wisdom of the nation to solve its problems, and in developing and atmosphere of understanding and cordiality. During the first-round dialogue on 21 April CPB leaders also discussed the dangerous situation that has evolved out of the recent unlawful agitational activities of communal forces including Jamat-i-lslam. They demanded that the conspiracies of the religious-fundamentalist forces be dealt with strong hands and the recently announced ‘National Women’s Development Policy’ be implemented fully. They also demanded that a Special Tribunal be set up immediately, the list of War Criminals be published at once and the trial and punishment of the perpetrators of genocide and other heneious crimes in 1971 be ascertained. CPB leaders spoke strongly in support of strengthening the anti-corruption campaign and criticized the gradual weakening of the resolve and actions of the CG in conducting this campaign. Regarding the anti-corruption campaign they put forward 5 principles which they demanded to be followed, namely (1) All should be treated equally under law and no one should be considered above law. (2) All actions must be undertaken in accordance to law (3) Transparency has to be fully ensured (4) Greater efficiency must be ensured in investigation and prosecution work (5) Most importantly, no part of the anti-corruption campaign should be used or allowed to b used as a means to promote the political blue-print or game-plan of the govt.