Dhaka, Sept 25: Bangladesh's main opposition party Awami League has refused to attend the 49th Conference Of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to be held here next month, saying it was not involved in the preparatory stages or properly invited. Several hundred delegates from 48 countries are expected to attend the nine-day conference starting October 4. Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and speaker of the Jatiya Sangshad (National Parliament) Jamir Uddin Sircar had requested Awami League (AL) to attend the conference. The Jatiya Sangshad is its main organiser. Informed sources said no CPA conference has been held without the involvement of major opposition parties. Sircar told reporters today that AL had no grounds to boycott the conference as all their demands had been met. He said the opposition would be held responsible for 'defaming' the country by their non-participation.
AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, at a hurriedly called press meet following Sircar's press conference, said although the party showed deep interest in the conference, they were not involved in the preparatory stages.
Even the invitation made to the leader of the opposition, Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was not proper, Jalil alleged and held the Speaker responsible for the 'chaos'.
The opposition and the four-party have been at loggerheads for sometime and AL is not attending the Parliament.
Bureau report