Dhaka, May 25 (UNB) – The main opposition BNP on Friday expressed the hope that the government will take initiatives to create a peaceful political atmosphere of dialogue for people's welfare and transfer of power in a democratic manner.

“BNP hopes that the government will take steps to resolve all the prevailing crises through discussion,” said Tariqul Islam, a standing committee member of the party, at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office in the afternoon.

Otherwise, he warned, the government will have to bear the responsibility of any situation that may arise.

Replying to a question, Tariqul Islam said they are ready to join dialogue, be it inside or outside parliament, if the government comes up with specific agenda of non-party neutral government.

He mentioned that in the past, when the caretaker government issue was floated, the discussion was first held outside parliament.

The BNP leader said the government will have to create an atmosphere of discussion by releasing the arrested top leaders of BNP and its allies as well as withdrawing the “false” cases filed against them.

About the Prime Minster’s stance on caretaker government, he said BNP also wants the democratic trend to continue.

Asked whether they would respond to any government initiative of discussion for strengthening the Election Commission, he replied in the negative saying that they first want to hold discussion on the caretaker government issue.

Reading out a written statement at the press conference, Tariqul mentioned the Prime Minister had said that the players of 1/11 are again active, which means she admits that such a situation of changing government through unconstitutional way is now prevailing in the country. He thanked the Prime Minister for her realisation.

The BNP standing committee member said they do not know whether “she (PM) understood that this situation has been created following the failure and misrule of the government she leads.”

He said though the Prime Minister does not want to keep open the path of discussion, but some Ministers and leaders of the ruling grand alliance have stated that if necessary, the Constitution can be amended through discussion.

“But discussion and understanding cannot be expected by keeping in jail the top leaders of BNP and its allies, including the party’s acting secretary general and five standing committee members, and chiefs of four other components of the 18-party alliance. The government will have to understand this reality.”

Tariqul further said it was illogical to expect opposition’s cooperation by obstructing its democratic programmes.

He said they think an atmosphere of reaching an understanding through discussion can be created only after the government ceases to obstruct the opposition from playing its due role, and it returns the victims of forced disappearance including M Ilias Ali in good health to their families, withdraw the “false” cases against leaders and workers of the opposition, and release unconditionally the detained leaders and workers.

The BNP leader termed World Human Rights Report 2011 of the US State Department published in different dailies as well as the information and opinion published by The Economist of London are the “reflections of what the BNP had been telling for so long.”

He said those reports published the accounts of the government’s “use of the administration, government forces, and the judiciary to annihilate the opposition.”

BNP leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Abdullah Al Noman, Barkatullah Bulu, M Shajahan, Abdus Salam and Abdul Latif Jony were, among others, present at the press conference.