Govt to Hold Dialogues with Political Parties on Saturday

Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus

Fifteen parties, including Gono Forum, the Liberal Democrats Party (LDP), and the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Andaleeve), will participate in the discussions. Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, shared these details during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Tuesday. He was joined by Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and assistant press secretaries Nayem Ali and Shuchismita Tithi.

In response to a query about the Jatiya Party (Ershad-GM Quader), Azad emphasized that the dialogue is an ongoing process, and any further decisions will be communicated in due course. Addressing concerns regarding the reported "minus-two" formula, he stated, "This is not a government issue and has never been discussed. Our government is not familiar with 'minus-two.' I encourage you to speak directly with that political party for further clarification."

Azad also highlighted the government’s commitment to alleviating public suffering amid rising prices of essential commodities, noting recent measures taken to address the situation. For instance, the import duty on eggs has been reduced from 33% to 13%, while the import duty on edible oil has been decreased by 5%.

When asked about business conditions, Azad reiterated the government's determination to eliminate extortion, ensuring a conducive environment for business operations. He also mentioned efforts to dismantle market syndicates to prevent manipulation.

This upcoming dialogue marks the second round of discussions since the process began on October 5, which initially included parties such as the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and CPB. The primary aim of these dialogues is to update political parties on reform progress and gather their suggestions for future action.