Foreign diplomats urge govt-BNP dialogue

Several Dhaka-based foreign diplomats have urged the government to keep open the option of holding dialogue with opposition BNP on the modalities of future general election. The diplomats’ call came at a briefing arranged by the Foreign Ministry at the State Guesthouse Padma on Wednesday. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Prime Minister’s Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam MP briefed the diplomats.  Ambassadors and representatives of 13 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Holy See, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Norway, Russian Federation, Switzerland and the USA and United Nations Resident Coordinator(UNRC) of the UN in Bangladesh were present. The Foreign Minister ruled out any dialogue with BNP unless it severs ties with Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Liberation, according to a news agency.