September 24, 2003	Wednesday	Rajab 26, 1424

DHAKA, Sept 23: Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the Awami League, has decided to boycott the upcoming six-day conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to be held here, in protest over what it said was the governing BNP’s alleged “hostile attitude towards the opposition”.

The six-day CPA conference, scheduled to begin on Oct 4, is likely to be attended by 600 dignitaries from 51 Commonwealth countries.

“There is no scope of giving a second thought to our boycott decision,” AL’s general secretary M.A.Jalil said on Monday (Sept 22). “The ruling BNP had created such a hostile atmosphere that the Awami League cannot join the conference.”

The party made a “final decision” in this regard the day before and reportedly conveyed it to some diplomats of the Commonwealth countries in Dhaka the same evening. Those who were apprised of the party’s position reportedly include the diplomats of Australia, Britain, Canada, India and Sri Lanka.