The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Law Adviser Hassan Ariff yesterday said the pre-dialogue talks with political parties is progressing to a "positive" direction.

"It does not appear as hard as we thought it would be," Ariff told newsmen after nearly an hour meeting with fellow advisers retired major general Ghulam Qader, Anwarul Iqbal and Hossain Zillur Rahman.

"The ice is expected to be melted easily."

Ariff said the political parties, which took part in the discussion so far, suggested the dialogue to be ended by May and "we expect to start it very soon".

Asked if they were expecting to hold talks with the mainstream faction of BNP, he said "We invited all the major political parties".

Education Adviser Hossain Zillur later said the pre-dialogue talks were now at its concluding stage while it was aimed at making the dialogue successful.

"We will apprise the chief adviser the outcomes of the talks in next few days and then fix the date for the proposed dialogue," he said.