Dialogue initiators patrons of militancy, sabotage: Tofail

The commerce minister, Tofail Ahmed, on Tuesday termed the appeal made by Nagarik Samaj for a dialogue unacceptable and unrealistic and dubbed the initiators of dialogue as patrons of militancy and sabotage. ‘We are not going to sit with the BNP-led opposition for a dialogue as they are involved in violence and destructions and killing innocent people,’ he said at a briefing at the ministry. Tofail said, ‘Militancy and terrorism would rather be encouraged if we hold dialogue.’ Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, on behalf of the Nagarik Samaj, a group of civil society, sent letters to the president, prime minister and the BNP chairperson on Monday, requesting them to undertake initiatives for a national dialogue to resolve the ongoing political crisis. Asked about the move,

Tofail said, ‘It makes no sense to us whoever makes the proposal for a dialogue, be it Shamsul Huda or someone else…our firm stance will remain unchanged.’ Slamming the move taken by Nagarik Samaj, the senior leader of the Awami League said that any dialogue would protect saboteurs and serve the very purpose of ‘terrorists.’ The BNP-led alliance has long been demanding resignation of the government, holding a dialogue to ensure a free and fair election under a non-party government. He said that they would hold no dialogue with those who kill people in firebomb attacks and unleash violence across the country. He said that the United States was not holding any dialogue with ISIS, but taking military actions to uproot them. He said that normalcy would be restored in the country soon and the law enforcers would contain the situation. Tofail briefed reporters on the outcome of a recent high-level meeting at the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

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