Zillur-Khaleda parley focused on BNP participation in election, says Adviser
Monday, 13 October 2008
Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said his recent meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia focused on participation of the former premier's party in the forthcoming parliamentary elections and pre-election atmosphere about which some continue to air apprehension, reports UNB.
The adviser of the caretaker government (CG), long engaged in doing the spadework like comprehensive reforms for holding the stalled elections, had a quiet parley with Khaleda Zia at her cantonment house last Friday, as her party still looked to be in two minds as to whether or not to go to the polls and raised various demands for creating a congenial situation.
"It was basically part of our continued contact to maintain an atmosphere of trust among ourselves. We must all be confident," he told journalists at his secretariat office.
He described the beginning of political parties' registration as a big step towards participation in the elections, now slated for December 18.
"Doubt and uncertainty is our all-time companion. We're gradually overcoming this. We don't want to involve ourselves in unnecessary debates," said the adviser, who works as spokesman for the government in negotiations with the political parties in the current process of transition from the post-1/11 period of purge in the politico-electoral arena.
He expressed the hope that there would be reflection of everybody's good thinking in the future and "our formal or informal contacts will be maintained".
The party of Khaleda Zia, the immediate-past prime minister (PM) who has recently been released on bail from prison, is yet to finally decide on their participation in the general election and wants to settle a score before saying yes.
They will sit with the CG led by Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed on October 14 (Tuesday) to resolve the issues they have raised, including the revised Representation of Peoples' Order (RPO) and graft cases against party leaders.
The adviser of the caretaker government (CG), long engaged in doing the spadework like comprehensive reforms for holding the stalled elections, had a quiet parley with Khaleda Zia at her cantonment house last Friday, as her party still looked to be in two minds as to whether or not to go to the polls and raised various demands for creating a congenial situation.
"It was basically part of our continued contact to maintain an atmosphere of trust among ourselves. We must all be confident," he told journalists at his secretariat office.
He described the beginning of political parties' registration as a big step towards participation in the elections, now slated for December 18.
"Doubt and uncertainty is our all-time companion. We're gradually overcoming this. We don't want to involve ourselves in unnecessary debates," said the adviser, who works as spokesman for the government in negotiations with the political parties in the current process of transition from the post-1/11 period of purge in the politico-electoral arena.
He expressed the hope that there would be reflection of everybody's good thinking in the future and "our formal or informal contacts will be maintained".
The party of Khaleda Zia, the immediate-past prime minister (PM) who has recently been released on bail from prison, is yet to finally decide on their participation in the general election and wants to settle a score before saying yes.
They will sit with the CG led by Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed on October 14 (Tuesday) to resolve the issues they have raised, including the revised Representation of Peoples' Order (RPO) and graft cases against party leaders.