AL, JSD agree on 'national govt'

The opposition parties agreed in principle to forge a "greater political unity" based on programmes to face the "misrule" of the four-party alliance government.

Identical views emerged at a meeting of JSD (Inu) leaders with AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil at the AL's Dhanmondi office yesterday.

JSD (Inu) leaders Sharif Nurul Ambia, Mainuddin Khan Badal, Nazmul Huq Pradhan and Mansur Ahmed Aga represented their party at the meeting. The AL presidium member Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir was present to assist Jalil.

The JSD delegation handed over a letter from their party General Secretary Syed Zafar Sajjad, containing a specific proposal for "political unity", to Jalil, a JSD press release said.

They proposed to float a "national front" with all patriotic, democratic and progressive political forces to spearhead a mass movement for a change in the prevailing "anti-people" politico-economic framework and forming the aspired national government.

In the letter, the JSD welcomed Jalil's recent statement on "political unity and national government."

In the light of the AL proposition, the JSD expressed its desire to open a bilateral dialogue with the AL. It also proposed to hold a meeting with AL President Sheikh Hasina.

In response, Jalil agreed in principle on greater political unity on the basis of programmes targeting the proposed national government. He said there would be a formal meeting with JSD after Hasina's return.