Hasina, Khaleda invite each other to Iftar
August 28, 2009 00:00:00
FE Report
Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina and her longtime political rival Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia have both Thursday invited each other to Iftar parties on the occasion of Ramadan, officials said.
The invitations from the two women, albeit centring a religious event, are seen as a welcome gesture by the political observers as the two leaders have interacted only on rare occasions.
Awami League President Hasina invited Opposition Leader Zia to tomorrow's (Saturday) Iftar party to be hosted at Gano Bhaban, where leaders from various political parties are expected to be present.
Hasina's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters that the PM's Protocol Officer Proloy Joardar handed over the invitation letter to Zia's Personal Secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed in the morning.
When contacted, Mr Ahmed acknowledged that he had received the invitation letter at the opposition leader's parliament office at 11:30am and he would send it to the opposition leader.
Meanwhile, former premier Zia, also the chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP), has also invited Hasina to an Iftar party to be arranged on August 29 at the Parliament's LD Hall.
BNP Joint Secretary-General Nazrul Islam Khan, Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and opposition leader's Personal Secretary Ahmed carried the invitation letter to the PM's official residence Jamuna at 5:30pm.
Shekhar, one of premier's personal secretaries, received the invitation letter, sources said.