The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Jatiya Party Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Hossain Muhammad Ershad and Bikalpa Dhara President Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury yesterday indicated their parties might form an alliance to fight the coming election.

After a meeting at Mahi B Chowdhury's residence at Gulshan the two leaders told reporters that it was the start of a process whether they could walk together in politics.

"We have discussed about the recent political situation and tried to find out some grounds where we could be unified and walk together in politics in future," Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad said.

This was a part of a series of talks of the Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh with like-minded political parties.

Dr B Chwodhury said, "We are only at the initial stage of our process and time has not come yet to come to a conclusion."

"We want to explore some common grounds and we have talked about those in the meeting," said the BDB Chairman.

He said, "We had earlier discussed with other parties about the political situation in the country like Workers Party, JSD and have also talked with Awami League and leaders of the both factions of BNP"

Both the leaders said they do not want to return to the pre-1/11 situation and at the same time they want people's democracy after holding a meaningful and fair elections as per the EC's roadmap.

Dr B Chowdhury said, "We did not get everything what we demanded before the 1/11 but we are in a process to get the things."

The leaders said their parties would participate in the city elections.

The former presidents would hold further meeting at Gen (Retd) HM Ershad's residence after B Chowdhury comes from Singapore where he is supposed to go on March 9, said sources.

Acting Chairman of Jatiya Party Anisul Islam Mahmud, BDB Secretary General Maj (Retd) MA Mannan and Organising Secretary Mahi B Chowdhury, among others, were present at the meeting.