DHAKA: The boycotting main opposition BNP conditionally offered their readiness to join the sixth session of Parliament, tagging some new conditions onto their existing package of demands.
 
Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farruk announced the latest position of the party at a press conference at the media center of Parliament Friday, three days before the Jatiya Sangsad sits in its autumn session, amid broad indications that the BNP lawmakers would like to return to the House to place all their pleas.

And a senior leader of the party, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury MP, made no secret of his opinion in favour of joining the upcoming parliament session.         
   
The sixth session of the ninth Parliament begins on September 20 (Monday)—against the backdrop of a plethora of major developments in the country’s political arena since the opposition had begun the latest boycott. They attended the last session only on the opening day. The budget session ended on July 22.

Their demands include solving the problem with seating arrangement in the House and giving opportunity to discuss Tipaimukh Dam and gas-power-water crises, properly reaching parliamentary agenda of business to Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia’s residence, stopping the extortion of ‘false statement’ from detained former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and other leaders through torturing, release of ex-minister Mirza Abbas and other detained leaders and activists arrested during the June 27 hartal.

Also, BNP demanded rescuing party leader Chowdhury Alam, restoring Coco’s parole and stopping “political harassment in the name of war criminals’ trial”.      

However, it was not fully clear whether the party set these pleas as a precondition to their joining parliament session this time around.          
 
But Opposition Chief Whip’s concluding remarks do not sound like setting rigid preconditions. He said, “We’ll join Parliament if the government remains sincere towards fulfilling the demands.”  

He told the journalists that BNP has abstained from joining Parliament in protest against “aspersions” cast on President Ziaur Rahman and party leaders and the “snatching” of the opposition seats in the House.

“We placed some demands after the first session. But neither the Speaker nor the Deputy Speaker have discussed these with us,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury had clearly stated that there is no reason why they should stay away from Parliament.

Joining the parliament has become an imperative for BNP to discuss some sensitive issues, he viewed in favour unconditional return to the House.  

“I don’t support imposing any condition in this regard,” he told reporters, shortly before things moved for a thaw to end the standoff.

Awami League Chief Whip of Parliament vice-principal Abdus Shahid sat for a sudden parley with the Opposition Chief Whip at his office in the Parliament Bhaban.

The opposition Chief Whip, during the meet, had requested the government to consider the conditions given by them for joining parliament session.

BDST: 1750 HRS, SEPT 17, 2010