The recent events at the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College (VNC), a prestigious girls educational institution in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, has stirred much buzz in the Bangladeshi blogosphere. Porimol Joydhor, a teacher of Bangla department of the school’s Bashundhara campus, was accused of raping a female student of class ten at VNC while giving her private tuition in his premises.

According to reports Porimol recorded the incident in his mobile and threatened the victim that he would post it on internet if she divulged the matter. As the investigations began more shocking information were revealed. The incident took place in late May and the school headmaster at Basundhara branch did not take any action against the teacher after the victim reported it in a letter. Guardians alleged that because Porimol was a student leader of the ruling party the authorities ignored these allegations. When the news broke out in the media [bn] in early July the school governing body was put under a lot of pressure. Porimol was sacked and went into hiding. The committee also suspended two other teachers for their alleged misconduct with girl students.

The events and the student protests caused much uproar in the country and more drama unfolded as the students continued their protest which led to the replacement of the school principal. The mainstream media was accused of using sensationalism and politicizing the events. But some students continued to share their sides of the story via blogs and Facebook.

Bloggers like Bengal Masud posted pictures of the protests and provided regular updates. He posted [bn] on the 6th of July:

অবশেষে ব্লগ-ফেসবুক এবং রাজপথ এই ত্রিমুখী আন্দোলনে পরিমলকে গ্রেফতার করতে বাধ্য হয়েছে পুলিশ। বুধবার দুপুর ১২টার দিকে কেরাণীগঞ্জে এক আত্মীয়ের বাসা থেকে পরিমল জয়ধরকে গ্রেপ্তার করা হয়।

The students were still in doubt whether the victim would get justice and continued with their protests. Their demands included:

• All the accused should be brought to justice
• The school principal and the school management should clarify why they did not do anything against the accused
• Demanding resignation of the school principal for protecting Porimol.

Many people became furious as the school principal was accused of saying that it was mutual sex. Xabir vents his anger [bn] at Amra Bondhu Blog:

আপনার কি জানা আছে মিউচুয়াল সেক্স হওয়ার জন্যে “কনসেন্ট” নামে একটা জিনিস লাগে। কিন্তু মহামান্যা মাথামোটা অধ্যক্ষা সাহেবা, ১৮ এর নিচে (ক্ষেত্র বিশেষে ১৬) একজন নাবালিকা কখনোই সম্মতি দিতে পারে না।

Moreover, the blogger reveals that the section 5 of Sexual Offences Act (2003) says “a person commits an offense if he intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with his penis and the person is under aged.”

An anonymous ex-student of VNC recalls [bn] in her blog that her Alma mater was not like this. She posted [bn] on the 8th of July about the student protests online and offline:

আমাদেরকে স্বীকার করতেই হবে যে, যে সব ছোট বোনেরা ফেসবুক এ ইভেন্ট খুলেছে তাদের উপর যথেষ্ট চাপ থাকবে কালকে।এতক্ষনে হয়তো আমাদের গায়ে মানে না আপনি মোড়ল; হোস্নে আরা বানু তোমাদেরকে টিসির ভয় দেখিয়েছেন। পুলিশ প্রশাসনও হয়তো কালকে ভাড়াটে গুন্ডার মতই ব্যাবহার করবে। তারা হয়তো আত্মরক্ষার জন্যই চাইলেও অনেক কিছু করতে পারবেনা। আমাদের সেই সব বোনদেরকে বলছি – আপুরা তোমরা একটুও ভয় পেয় না। আপুরা আছি, আপুরা তোমাদের সবার পাশে আছি।

On the 9th of July the students of VNC along-with Parents and ex-students formed a human chain demanding resignation of the Principal. Bengal Masud posted [bn] videos and pictures of the event.

Soon the protests gathered more support from other members of the civil society. Also many teachers from VNC joined [bn] in the protests.

Blogger Alim Al Rajee is posting [bn] regular updates on this. This Facebook page is also providing updates. Some students are providing updates [bn] on how the interim principal is being accused of belonging to a political party and how the girls are being threatened by different quarters.

Shimul Kibria at Choturmatrik Blog writes [bn] about the trend of blaming the victim in a rape incident as some are blaming the student of VNC rather than Porimol:

কিছু মানুষ তাদের পারিপার্শ্বিকতার নারীদের চিনেছে নিছক একটি ভোগ্যপণ্য হিসেবে। তাদের চিন্তামতে/বিবেচনায় নারী মাত্রই ক্ষুদ্র মননের, স্বল্প ক্ষমতার একটি প্রাণী যা আসলে পুরোপুরি পুরুষের অধীন!

He continues:

প্রতিবাদ এখানেই শেষ নয়; পরিমল ও তার মদদ দাতাদের কঠোর বিচারকার্য নিশ্চিতকরণ, নারী ও শিশু নির্যাতন আইনের যথোপযুক্ত প্রয়োগ নিশ্চিতকরণের জন্যে এই মঞ্চ আরো এগিয়ে যাবে; এটা আমার মতো আরো লক্ষাধীক মানুষের প্রাণের চাওয়া।

First Published  by Rezwan@Global Voice Online.

Children Park – a type of real social business

(example of MOON PARK & MOON HOUSE)

This was also published in The News Today 09 Dec 2010 and other blogs

http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?option=details&news_id=14376&date=2010-12-09

http://www.bdcomcn.com/English-Articles/children-park-a-type-of-real-social-business-of-moon-park-a-moon-house.html

 http://bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=343086  



Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, of Bangladesh while addressing the prize giving ceremony of a painting competition at Dhaka Osmani Smriti Auditorium on October 18, 2010, has directed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to recover all the children’s parks in the capital. The prime minister, according to UNB Dhaka, vowed to establish a safe and prosperous Bangladesh for every child.

Yes, there is no doubt that concerned authorities would try their best to recover all government children parks, no matter how successful they would be to maintain and keep the campaign according to given directives from the highest executive of the government. But I, like many others, am little wondered as to how much those local influential illegal occupants have gone regarding places like Children parks too. There is no need to emphasize the requirement of children parks for the over all development of a total Children. Considering their importance’s, government did their parts and hopefully would continue doing the best in this regard always. But we being the brothers and sisters, parents and relatives, teachers and lovers of every child also got to think and do exactly in the same way as our Prime Minister thought and gave directives.

Because the government can not establish more and more children parks all of a sudden, and because we all also have the morale and social responsibilities too for all the children, so, we got to also do some thing, either individually or being in a group. We may think of taking following measures to ensure so that more and more children get the facilities of Children parks:

1. Authorities of schools and other educational institutions may consider establishing children parks at their own premises, no matter how small or big those could be. They should also ensure the proper maintenances of all existing children parks.

2. Those who, specially at rural area, can effort to make few items of children park at their own premises may also make such facilities available for their own and local children. There are few such items directly related to physical exercises which don’t need lot of space, cost or electricity. Besides, such can be made with collective efforts too. Some one may also think of making the same at their roof top at city location too. The idea is so that every child gets the minimum facilities of Children Park.

3. Many rich people of our society already have hundreds and thousands of “Farm Houses” (bagan bari in bengali pronunciation) of their own. Those are indeed their spare houses out side the city areas mostly for their personal leisure and pleasure. Of course I am not trying to say any thing against their farm houses, however, would like to humbly suggest so that they could also think of making those, whole or part of those, in to some thing like children park for the local children and thus allow local children to play there either free of cost or with little ticket money. We always talk about social responsibilities and social businesses. Arranging such facilities for the children could be one of the best social responsibilities. Again the concepts of social businesses often emphasized by our Noble Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus are known to the whole world and also widely discussed. So, from that point of view too, some token ticket money may also be charged from incoming children, however, the ticket fee got to be within affordable limit of those rural parents too.

Frankly speaking, I won’t suggest any of above if I won’t believe on those totally. I use to always think in the past about these children park facilities for our rural poor children. That is the reason I tried to establish two such children park at my own according to my personal interest, planning, limited economic capabilities and efforts. Spending my pension money, I have established one Children park named Moon Park at village PIRUJALI in General Area Hotapara, Gazipur. The area is near writer Humayun Ahmed’s Nuhash Polli and really green and comfortable in all seasons.

Well, for this case, I tried to establish and experiences by myself first and then now trying to suggest some thing for others too. It is said in the religion also that you try to do the same first before you suggest the same to others. When ever, I heard or read about the social businesses expressed by noble laureate Dr. Yunus, tried to think and identify as to how many types of social businesses could there be, specially for a country like Bangladesh? I also tried to think always as to what maximum social benefits can be offered with what minimum charges from different types of social businesses. Well, there can be many different types, but, for me, I have desired to do some thing related to children’s health, enjoyment, excitement, mental growth, physical exercise etc, and so thought of establishing one children park for them as part of so-well-discussed social business.

Now at this stage, being little encouraged by the noble directives of honorable prime minister of Bangladesh, I have only one aim of mentioning this as an example and that is, so that others who are interested may also establish such children parks at different parts of our country. Besides, those who are already having their Farm Houses (bagan bari) may also become interested as well as feel responsible to tern their those farm houses, part or whole, into children park for the local rural children and allow them to play either free of charge or with little token ticket money.

“Moon Park” is a small eco friendly green garden which is also used for picnic or outing spot for those city people who may afford to rent it and be interested to enjoy the green nature as part of their rest and refreshment. However, the focus is always given to the local children’s playing and that is why the word “park” is associated with it’s name. Any one may be wondered to know that a local child may visit and play at Moon Park with only taka ten ($ US 10 cents only) per person. The Moon Park was inaugurated on 14 April 2010 (pohela boishak) through arrangement of boishakhi mela (local fair organized on the bengali new year) where all the incoming children along with their parents, friends and relatives were allowed to go inside and play with free of charge. Surprisingly the total presence on that very single day crossed the figure 2500 (almost 100% children of that general area) which really proved in my mind that, yes, our children really need such facilities. I also felt very comfortable inside for being able to make one such park for our rural children. The smiling faces of our rural deprived children are still in my memories, pictures of which can also be shared by readers from below web link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/113734232071731875096/MoonPark#

“Moon House” is also another such place, same eco friendly garden with children park facilities where children can not only play but also see life birds and fishes. No matter how many facilities children are enjoying inside but only taka 30 ($ US 40 cents only) is charged per person. It is designed to be a real safe house for the playing of children and that is why the word “house” is associated with it’s name.

It may be mention that the eco friendly green gardens of both Moon Park and Moon House are also attracting foreigners and as such contributing to the tourism in Bangladesh too. Hope the scope of tourism in this sector would also increase in future.

I hope both Moon Park and Moon House would be able to contribute for children’s playing in the long run as part of social businesses in real sense. I also hope that many other persons having similar feelings like me would also try to do some thing better for our children which are so necessary for their total development. Children would carry us forward, they are our future hopes and so we must do our best to do best for them.

For those who may be interested to know about Moon House and Moon Park for their picnic or outing purposes may also brows below web link:

http://www.moonhousemoonpark.com/

 email: moonhouse.moonpark@gmail.com,

This was also published in The Independent dated 22 Oct 2010

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/index.php?opt=view&page=28&date=2010-10-22

Bangladesh and China established diplomatic relations on October 4, 1975 and the same date in this year was its 35th anniversary. To mark the importance of this long lasting relationship, lot of activities were observed at both Dhaka and Beijing in this year, specially in the month of October as 1st October 2010 was also the 61st anniversary of Peoples Republic of China. In connection to this 35th anniversary, Bangladesh Cultural Academy (BSA) Foundation also held one seminar titled “Sino-Bangladesh Relations-Friendship Unbounded” at VIP lounge, National Press Club, Dhaka on October 18, 2010 where I had the opportunity to listen to speeches delivered by many famous scholars like Professor Mozaffar Ahmed, Professor Emajuddin Ahmed, Mr. Badruddin Umar, key note speaker Lt Gen (Retd) M. Mahbubur Rahman and others from Bangladesh side and also The Ambassador of Peoples Republic of China in Bangladesh H. E. Mr. Zhang Xianyi. I think the audience like me has understood deeply regarding the importance of better Bangladesh future cooperation.
To mark the event little symbolic in terms of friendly relationship and cooperation between Bangladesh and China, it was also really my honor and privilege to speak few words in both chinese and english languages in that seminar regarding my understanding about the developments of present China as well as the importance of better Bangladesh-China cooperation.

It was 15th September 1988 when I first landed in Beijing being one of the foreign students to learn chinese language and have had studied Chinese language for two years staying in China. That was my closest opportunity to know China and its people when I was very young. Since then I had been visiting China regularly and have seen the changes in last 22 years. I have seen the China from Herbin in the north to Hainandao in the south and also in between many cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzen, etc, and almost whole China accept three provinces. I wish I would soon complete seeing those places too.
During my every visit to China I was always very surprised seeing her continuous developments and progresses. Every time I took a long breath and answered to my self, “it is China and they are Chinese and so it is possible!”. The achievements of China during last few decades are known to all indeed and as such I am not going to express about any of those.
During my every visit to China I also had the opportunities to be in close touches with many Chinese leaders as well as very common people in the official as well as business and private capacities from which I have learned some thing for my self. Of course, there are many related factors associated to the success of present China, however, I would like to express my personal opinion as to what all major factors had possibly been contributing to these continuous successes. In my opinion, major factors were the political stability of the nation, the discipline, motivation and willingness of people to develop the country, and of course the special Chinese leadership to take the country ahead. The pride of the Chinese people that, “we are Chinese and it is China and of course one China” was the main motivation behind all success in my understanding.
During past 22 years I had the opportunities to listen many top ranking leaders of China and Bangladesh regarding the Sino- Bangladesh friendly cooperation. I have also heard many peace loving common people of both the countries. I have learned and now believe from all those talking that China Bangladesh relationship is the relationship of long history, not only this formal 35 years, however, now it has taken the shape of the relationship of connectivity, relationship of trust and confidence, relationship of inter dependability, and the relationship of future hope and continuous cooperation for mutual benefits.
Considering the time limitation of the seminar, I have expressed only one hope on behalf of common peace loving people of both countries so that the authorities at both ends may consider facilitating easy access to each other’s country and their people for the continuous promotion of culture, sports, tourism, trade and other sectors. I hope the concern authorities would soon do some thing more positive in this regard. Long live China Bangladesh continuous developments of friendly cooperation with future hopes.

(The speech delivered by Lt Col Md Shahadat Hossain (Retd), at the seminar titled “Sino-Bangladesh Relations-Friendship Unbounded” at Dhaka Press Club on 18 October 2010)

The campaign launched on April 8 jointly in Bangladesh, Ghana and Afganistan. A press conference was held on the day at Dhaka Reporters Unity Conference Hall moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda from Equity and Justice Working group.

The motto of the campaign as we were told was a more democratic world that offers Bangladeshis a chance to vote in the 2010 General UK elections. The position paper was presented in English by Clemmie James form ‘Give Your Vote’ and in Bangla by Atiqul Chowdhury from ‘Use a UK Vote’.

The Use a UK Vote campaign will see thousands of people in Bangladesh voting in the UK election. They will use votes donated by British citizens to decide which one of the UK’s three major political parties – if any – get their support.

UK participants will go to the voting booths on the day of elections and will cast their votes on behalf of individuals in the countries of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ghana in an act of solidarity and protest. People in Bangladesh are directly affected by decisions taken by UK politicians in Westminster on issues such as climate change, migration, trade and labour. However, these politicians are not accountable to the people they affect.

‘Give Your Vote’ -  as the Campaign is called in the UK – is calling for politicians to be accountable to those their policies affect. It is time to rethink democracy for an inter-connected world. ‘Use a UK Vote’ is hoping to present this campaign to various areas around Banglasdesh, including the island of Kutubdia, Dhaka University and slums in Dhaka.

On the 30^th April using only a mobile phone anyone from Bangladesh can text in their vote to this number + 88 01713144174  – and place a vote for which party they would like to vote for. Then 6^th May UK Citizens will receive a text message telling them the party someone from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Ghana has chosen and their votes will be placed.

Over the next 3 weeks Bangladeshis will be able to pose questions to UK political candidates via the website http://useaukvote.org. Depending on the answers from the politicians they will decide who to vote for. This is an empowering, political and symbolic act.

An Islamist militant body Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has asked officials of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Federation of the Red Crescent (IFRC) and World Food Programme (WFP) to stop work and leave Barisal district immediately in southern Bangladesh.

Three letters written in the name of the banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh were delivered by postman at the offices of the UNICEF, International Federation of Red Crescent and World Food Programme in the police line area in the Barisal city on Monday. In the letter, the sender asked the chiefs of the three organisations to shut down their operations and quit Bangladesh immediately.

The sender also threatened the officials of dire consequences if they did not follow the order.

Police Official:
Admitting the incident, Police supper of Barisal Mohammed Mahabur Rahman said to E-Bangladesh , they have taken the incident seriously and strengthen the security of the officials of the organization”. He also said they are employing high intelligence surveillance to monitor any kind of terrorist activities. He has assigned his 9 officer in charge of different police station to pray the Friday prayer in different mosques and counsel with the Imam and faithful to fight the Islamic terrorism. He also said that only police will not be able to fight the Islamic Terrorism. People and police should be united against and the Islamic terrorism.

Parliamentarian:
Workers Party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon said to E-Bangladesh that they may be the connection of this threat to UN and other international originations with the current promise of UN to help Bangladesh war crimes trial planning. Expert and analyst: Prof. Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed of International Relations University of Dhaka said to E-Bangladesh that “Who had threatened the UN agencies and other International organization had special agenda indeed”. He said that there may a close relation with the current promise of UN to help Bangladesh government in the war crimes trial planning. He also added that those who have threatened may have international links and trying to convey a specific message through this. Some people are trying to politicize the issues of the trial of war criminals and trying to play the political game with the public issue. The demand of the trail of War criminal is no more political but national concern and demand. Recently the activities of JMB has highly raised over the last month in different operations of different security agencies around 100 people were arrested in suspect link with JMB , the security officials also seized explosives from some of the suspect.

On a recent operation The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested eight operatives of banned Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) including brother of Salahuddin, a JMB Majlish-e-Shura (highest policy-making body) and recovered bomb-making materials also seized CDs, audiotapes, computer accessories and manuals, and books and leaflets on jihad in the capital . According to the daily Star The seized JMB leaflet reads, “Here comes the Jihadi Kafila (caravan). It will destroy the enemies of Allah and his Prophet (S). It will bury the tyrants, exploiters and the dishonest leaders to bring about an Islamic state.”The leaflet says the “Christian-controlled media gives a distorted view of the Mujahideen’s noble campaign to free the country from the unbelievers”.

Recently the prime Minster sheikh Hasina was also alerted by the Indian high officials about the life threat.

The government should allow different human rights organizations to go inside the Pilkhana and observe the situation.. Specially the team of Doctor and journalist and lawyer and other professional should go inside of the Pilkhana regularly.

‘How can you be certain that the state of emergency is going to be withdrawn before the polls?… I cannot say at this moment whether the emergency will be withdrawn,’ the home affairs adviser, MA Matin, said on Sunday in reply to queries after a meeting with the heads of the law enforcement agencies on security issues for the ninth parliamentary elections and the third upazila polls.

He, however, hoped law and order would not deteriorate even if the state of emergency was withdrawn. ‘The government will decide when to withdraw the emergency.’

Matin made the statement at a time when major political parties are demanding a complete withdrawal of the state of emergency before the December 29 national polls. The government of Fakhruddin Ahmed assumed office a day after the state of emergency had been declared on January 11, 2007 on the heels of political unrest.

He said troops, besides paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles, Raid Action Battalion, policemen and Ansars personnel, would be deployed to keep order for a few days during the elections by the order of the Election Commission.

There will be a striking force along with policemen and Ansars personnel at each polling station to ensure security, he said.

‘The government is not solely responsible for keeping law and order. The responsibility also lies with political parties and people in general.’

In reply to a query, Matin said the main challenge the government was facing was to conduct the December elections in a free and fair manner.

He said the meeting discussed the issues of security for the VVIPs and VIPs, including former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the home secretary, Abdul Karim, said there would be 35,500 polling centres across the country and a three-tier security system would be arranged at each centre.

In addition to Bangladesh Rifles personnel, coast guards, Rapid Action Battalion members and about 13–15 members of the police and Ansars would deployed at each polling centre.

As for control of the striking force, the home secretary said a statutory order was being prepared with specific instructions as to how the forces would operate during the polls. ‘We have drafted the order today with the consent of the Election Commission.’

He said the home ministry would set up a control room four days before the elections to monitor law and order.

He said the police had been directed to ensure that culprits were arrested and the illegal arms recovered so that the national elections could be held in an atmosphere free of terrorism. ‘The police have been asked to make quality, not quantity, arrests.’

The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, in a jam-packed news conference after consultation with BNP and Awami League, announced the fresh polls schedules after the BNP-led alliance announced to contest the on condition of meeting three demands — complete withdrawal of state of emergency, nullifying section 91E of the representation of the people order and holding of upazila elections after one month of general elections.

According to the schedule for the national polls, the submission of nomination papers closes on November 30. The nomination papers will be scrutinised in December 3 and 4. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is December 11.

For the upazila elections, the submission of nomination papers closes on December 13. Nomination paper scrutiny has been scheduled for December 17-19. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is December 31.

Shamsul said the commission had to change the polls fixture for three times on reports from grassroots level that the time given to file the candidature was not enough for the candidates to provide necessary documents regarding information of eight categories.

‘Besides, the government was trying hard to bring the BNP-led alliance to elections and the commission also decided to discuss their latest demands and hold talks with them for past two days. We also talked to the great alliance and heard their version. Though none of them had any specific recommendation, we tried to reach an acceptable programme,’ Shamsul said.

Shamsuls said there was a demand from BNP-led alliance to nullify the section 91E of RPO but was not possible for the commission. ‘We thoroughly reviewed their apprehensions of probable misuse of the section and their fear of denying justice and talked to cross section of people and then reached to opinion that it should not be repealed. It also appeared to us that many of them may not study the section carefully and lack understanding about it,’ he said.

The chief election commissioner said earlier there were provisions to take action on verbal and written complaints and witnessing by the commissioners on any violation of electoral rules but this time the option verbal complaints has been removed.

‘There is no possibility of denying justice as the decision would be taken by the commission on majority of votes and if the defendant dislikes the decision, he would have the scope to go to the High Court,’ he added.

Shamsul said both the alliances emphasised on withdrawal of state of emergency although they said it was not duty of the commission but they asked us to make a strong recommendation to the government about lifting emergency. ‘And, we assured them that we recommend the government to lift emergency,’ he added.

Shamsul hoped the ninth Jatiya Sangsad and third upazila polls would be held in a festive mood with the participation of the people of all walks of life and the political parties will plunge into electioneering from Monday. ‘There is no scope to doubt over holding the elections,’ he said.

The chief election commissioner did not answer a question whether the upazila polls would be held during the regime of caretaker government or under the next government.

Other two commissioners Sohul Hossain and Sakhawat Hossain were also present at the briefing.

The 9th parliamentary polls scheduled for January 22, 2007 was cancelled amid widespread political turmoil.

The commission this time has registered 8,11,30,973 voters.

Photo: Advisers with Sheikh Hasina, BanglarChokh.

Photo: Advisers with Khaleda Zia, BanglarChokh.

The military-backed government and the political parties until Tuesday night failed to forge any consensus to reschedule the next month’s elections despite hectic negations, overt and covert, as the BNP’s 48-hour deadline expires tonight.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party rejected the government’s offer to reschedule the parliamentary polls by 10 days asking for at least a month deferral while the Awami League demanded holding the polls as per the schedule on December 18, leaders attending the government-political parties negotiation said.

The AL has no problem if the deadline for submission of nomination papers is delayed by a few days, they said adding that the party and its allies asked the government to hold the polls as per the schedule as it failed to convince the BNP.

‘The government conveyed us that it had offered the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to delay the voting date to December 28 from December 18, but they rejected the proposal,’ Rashed Khan Menon, a leader of the AL-led alliance said after the one-hour meeting between a five-member panel of advisers and the alliance leaders led by AL chief Sheikh Hasina Tuesday night.

Meeting sources said that Hasina asked the government hold the election on December 18 if it fails to settle the issue with BNP.

Earlier in the evening, the panel led by commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman had meeting with the BNP chief Khaleda Zia who gave the interim government and the Election Commission 48 hours’ time, ending this evening, to accept the alliance’s four-point demands, if BNP is to join the polls.

The BNP’s four points, shortened from the seven-point charter that the BNP-led alliance had pressing for the last few weeks, included three of the previous demands—complete lifting of emergency, abolition of the EC’s power to cancel candidature during elections and deferral of the upazila elections by one month after the general elections.

Allowing Hajj pilgrims to cast their ballots came as a new demand.

After the meeting with the leaders of the AL-led alliance, Hossain Zillur Rahman requested the waiting reporters not to ask him any question on the outcome of the meeting. He said that he went there to discuss the ways and means for a free, fair and peaceful election.

‘We have started the discussion and it will continue,’ the adviser told reporters after a one and half hour meting with BNP chairperson at her Gulshan office indicating that the first day consultation inconclusive.

The BNP secretary general, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, also hoped that the discussion will continue saying, ‘We have genuine intention to contest the polls. We have relaxed our standpoint to the maximum possible limit.’

But the BNP leader declined to give details of the discussion expressing optimism that further discussions would break the logjam over holding of the general elections on December 18.

The advisory panel comprising Hossain Zillur Rahman, Ghulam Quader, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Hassan Ariff and Anwarul Iqbal — who negotiated on behalf of the government in previous talks with political parties— also had consultation with chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda in the afternoon

The contents of the two-and-half-hour talk at the chief adviser’s office were not known. None from the government and the EC showed up and briefed as they usually do before television cameras almost after every event or meeting.

At a programme in the morning adviser Hossain Zillur termed the BNP’s conditional stance towards election participation positive saying, ‘It is a great relief for the nation that BNP will participate in the election, though they press for fulfilling certain conditions.’

Reliable sources in the government hinted that the government and the EC were weighing the option of deferring the schedules of both the parliamentary and upazila elections for more than a week.

After the meeting, the panel of five advisers rushed to the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office. The advisers are expected to meet the BNP leadership again today to convey the government’s latest response to the four-point demands.

Earlier, the Election Commission reviewed the four-point demands and collected a list of hajj pilgrims from the religious affairs ministry to see their return schedules from Saudi Arabia.

The last hajj flight will return to Dhaka on January 2 and election officials estimated that about 80 per cent of pilgrims should return within December as per the flight schedules.

Meanwhile, the Awami League intensified its preparations for elections as per the schedule, selecting party nominees for nearly 175 out of 300 parliamentary constituencies and negotiating with alliance partners.

Former military dictator and Jatiya Party chairman Hussein Mohammad Ershad met with Awami League president Sheikh Hasina Tuesday evening, claiming that they agreed on “election together and formation of the next government together.’