Five advisers hold talks with Khaleda, Hasina
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Five advisers seen as government negotiators Tuesday night began parley with Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, also main leader of the regrouping grand alliance, presumably on an option for rescheduling the parliament elections to accommodate the BNP-led alliance in the forthcoming polls, reports UNB.
The group of five comprising Dr Hossain Zillur, Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Kader, Hassan Ariff, Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Anwarul Iqbal entered Hasina's residence Sudhasadan at 9:52pm in their shuttle move between the two rival political camps to break the latest standoff.
Awami League leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofael Ahmed and Abdul Jalil, Jatiya Party leaders Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ziauddin Bablu, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and JSD president Hasanul Huq Inu, among others, were present at the meeting.
Earlier in the night, the caretaker government advisers had a lengthy meeting for two and a half hours with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, a day.
According to bdnews24.com, the five advisers’ talks with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, which lasted an hour and a half Tuesday evening, were termed fruitful.
The five advisers held the talks to discuss the four conditions the BNP-led four-party alliance set for joining the general election.
Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman called the meeting “fruitful”. “More discussions will take place,” he added.
Emerging from the meeting, BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said: “We are satisfied with the outcome of this evening’s discussions.”
“BNP is a pro-election party. We are very keen to go to elections,” he added.
The talks followed Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda and fellow election commissioners’ meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at his office earlier on the day in the wake of the four-party’s ultimatum Khaleda had issued Monday
The BNP-led four-party alliance gave the government 48 hours to meet their four conditions, including a new schedule, on fulfillment of which they would take part in the general election.
Election Commission officials said Huda met with Mr Fakhruddin Tuesday afternoon to discuss with the interim government head whether the polls could be rescheduled.
BNP and its allies have called for total withdrawal of the state of emergency and re-announcement of the election schedule to allow Hajj pilgrims, who are now in Saudi Arabia, exercise their franchise.
Changes to section 91E of the Representation of the People Ordinance 2008, that gives the Election Commission power to cancel candidacy of any one, and deferment of Upazila polls are the other two demands.
The group of five comprising Dr Hossain Zillur, Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Kader, Hassan Ariff, Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Anwarul Iqbal entered Hasina's residence Sudhasadan at 9:52pm in their shuttle move between the two rival political camps to break the latest standoff.
Awami League leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofael Ahmed and Abdul Jalil, Jatiya Party leaders Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ziauddin Bablu, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and JSD president Hasanul Huq Inu, among others, were present at the meeting.
Earlier in the night, the caretaker government advisers had a lengthy meeting for two and a half hours with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, a day.
According to bdnews24.com, the five advisers’ talks with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, which lasted an hour and a half Tuesday evening, were termed fruitful.
The five advisers held the talks to discuss the four conditions the BNP-led four-party alliance set for joining the general election.
Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman called the meeting “fruitful”. “More discussions will take place,” he added.
Emerging from the meeting, BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said: “We are satisfied with the outcome of this evening’s discussions.”
“BNP is a pro-election party. We are very keen to go to elections,” he added.
The talks followed Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda and fellow election commissioners’ meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at his office earlier on the day in the wake of the four-party’s ultimatum Khaleda had issued Monday
The BNP-led four-party alliance gave the government 48 hours to meet their four conditions, including a new schedule, on fulfillment of which they would take part in the general election.
Election Commission officials said Huda met with Mr Fakhruddin Tuesday afternoon to discuss with the interim government head whether the polls could be rescheduled.
BNP and its allies have called for total withdrawal of the state of emergency and re-announcement of the election schedule to allow Hajj pilgrims, who are now in Saudi Arabia, exercise their franchise.
Changes to section 91E of the Representation of the People Ordinance 2008, that gives the Election Commission power to cancel candidacy of any one, and deferment of Upazila polls are the other two demands.