The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Modalities of the government-sponsored dialogue with political parties, expected sometime this month, are now being set for a focused discussion on the issues, the press secretary to the Chief Advisor said Saturday.

"Modalities are being worked out," Syed Fahim Munaim told UNB. Although a firm date of the dialogue has not yet been finalized, he said, hopefully it will start this month.

Asked if detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina will be allowed to join the proposed dialogue, the press secretary said the modalities would determine every detail as to who will participate, whether it would be together with all parties or separately.

Meanwhile, IANS from Brussels yesterday reported that Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told a meeting with prestigious Belgium think-tanks that the caretaker government intends to begin the political dialogue within two weeks.

"It is our primary goal, indeed our constitutional obligation, to hold free, fair and credible elections. The response from all political parties and the public has been very positive," said Chowdhury.

He said over 50 million voters had been registered and the voters' cards-the most sophisticated in the world-would also serve as national identity cards.

"So far, everything is on track. What is left, however, is a dialogue with the political parties," the Advisor said.

Meanwhile, major political parties, including Awami League and BNP, welcomed the much-awaited dialogue aimed at removing all mistrust and distrust about the December parliamentary elections. The parties said they would raise the issues of release of the two detained former Prime Ministers, lifting the state of emergency and bringing down the sky-high prices of commodities.