DACCA: Fresh efforts to bring together all the Opposition parties in the country on the basis of a minimum programme to work for the “restoration of democracy” have so far failed to produce tangible results due to lack of understanding and natural suspicion.

The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mr Nurul Amin and notable Opposition leaders including Maulana Bhashani are at present seriously thinking as to how to devise ways and means to overcome the present “difficulty” created by sharp division in the Opposition on different issues, the most important difference being on the question of foreign policy.

The Opposition leaders are painfully aware that unless they are able to surmount this difficulty it is futile to talk about unity.

Mr Nurul Amin, who has lately renewed his efforts to forge unity among various Opposition parties, thinks that it is possible to unite them on a “minimum” programme for the restoration of democracy although even he seems to have his doubts about the possible role of a certain opposition party and its leadership.

The Opposition leader told this correspondent in the course of an informal talk that different heterogeneous elements in the Opposition could be united only on the basis of a “minimum programme”. He emphasised that it was high time for “our heart searching” and to forge unity. Nothing could be achieved by individual efforts and by individual parties.

Mr Nurul Amin, who has already had talks with some Opposition leaders, said that he would try to meet representatives of different parties and try to evolve what he called “a common factor”. He said in reply to a question that he would try to talk with representatives of the Awami League.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2016