Dhaka: Thanking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her remarks that her government wants peace, not conflict, BNP on Tuesday renewed its call for holding dialogue shunning repressive acts to overcome the current political crisis.

‘The Prime Minister at a programme yesterday (Monday) said they want peace, not confrontation. We appreciate the Prime Minister’s approach,’ said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.

He further said, ‘We want to clearly state that BNP has long been demonstrating its strong stance in favour of the politics of peace, understating and harmony against the politics of violence and confrontation. We never pamper or support the politics of anarchy, violence and bloodletting.’

Ripon, a BNP international affairs secretary, came up with the remarks while addressing a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government’s aim is to create, not to destruct, ensure peace, not to unleash confrontation and steer the country towards development not to degradation.

Giving his party’s reaction to the PM’s remarks, Ripon said they hoped that all the barriers to exercising constitutional and democratic rights will be removed taking the Prime Minister’s remark as the baseline for creating a congenial atmosphere for peace and political understanding.

‘We also expect the vindictive game of annihilating the opposition will be stopped to ensure a healthy atmosphere for normal political activities,’ he said.

The BNP leader also said the ruling party leaders and ministers who often try to shrink the path of peace and negotiation with their indecent and unguarded remarks will also refrain from doing that following the Prime Minister’s remarks.

Ripon demanded the government immediately release the arrested opposition leaders and activists. ‘We also expect that showing respect to the mass people’s demand, the government will take an initiative to engage in talks with all parties for creating an environment to hold a free, fair and neutral election.’