The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in an address to the nation within a week is expected to announce the guidelines of the national dialogue between the Government and political parties and different citizens' groups.

Disclosing this yesterday after a meeting of four of the five Advisers, who were entrusted with the responsibility preparing the grounds for the much awaited talks, Commerce and Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said they were trying to enhance the level of confidence and trust that had been created between the Government and political parties leaders during the pre-dialogues so that formal moots are successful.

As per the previous official announcement the formal dialogue between the Government and political as well as other stakeholders is expected to begin later this month.

The Chief Adviser, in his address to the nation, may announce specific dates for the beginning of the formal dialogue, its agenda and his Government's stance on some important demands, including a possible schedule of the national polls, the release of political leaders and the lifting of the state of emergency that the political leaders demanded during the pre-dialogues, an informed source said last evening preferring anonymity.

The Government will send separate formal letters of invitation to every political party and citizens' or professional bodies-like that of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), with whom it had pre-talks parleys recently.

It, however, could not be clear till filing of this report yesterday as to whether the representatives of citizens' bodies, like that of the FBCCI and other business leaders, who were pressing for the political parties to commit during the formal dialogue that they would not resort to disruptive programmes-hartal and street agitations and would not return to the pre-January 11 (2007) chaotic situations, would be attending meetings with political parties as observers or not.

The formal dialogue between the Government and political parties would be held separately, as a number of important parties, including the Awami League (AL), Jatiya Party (Ershad), Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDP), LDP, Gano Forum, Workers Party and JSD (Inu) refused to sit with Jamaat-e-Islami, the source said, adding, "Both groups of the BNP will be invited to the talks separately."

According to Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, the Advisers of the Caretaker Government during their pre-dialogues with political parties were able to arrive at a consensus on pressing national issues, which, he refused to divulge.

Sources close to the Government and major political parties, including the AL, the BNP (reformist), Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jamaat-e-Islami, BDB and PDP, have already arrived at a consensus on some issues, including the holding of general elections and local body polls, the extent of lifting the state of emergency during the polls, the formation of the National Security Council and the amendment to the Constitution to legitimise their rule and institutional reforms of this Caretaker Government and strike a balance of power between the offices of the Head of the State (the President) and the head of the Government (the Prime Minister).

Briefing journalists at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works after their meeting, Commerce and Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said the Government would discuss at the formal phase all the major issues, including the release of two detained former Prime Ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-raised by the political parties during the pre-dialogues.

"We will discuss everything the political leaders have already suggested," he said in reply to a question, adding that the Government was in constant contact with the political parties in order to consolidate further the trust already built between the two sides.

The AL and the conformist faction of BNP led by Khandaker Delwar Hossain categorically demanded that their respective party chiefs-Sheikh Hasina and Begum Zia-should be released and allowed to take part in the general elections if not at the formal dialogue.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar repeatedly maintained that the national dialogue might end up as a meaningless exercise if the two former Prime Ministers were not allowed to attend the formal talks.

Although AL leaders, including its Acting President Zillur Rahman, made the same demand, its detained President Sheikh Hasina on Sunday, through her lawyers indicated that she was not willing to sit across the dialogue table. Besides, she advised the AL leaders to refrain from taking 'adventurous' agitation programme in the name of her release so that the entire progress does not get upside down, party sources said.

To another question, Dr Hossain Zillur said the Government has not yet decided as to whether representatives of the Army would be present at the formal dialogue as a separate identity or not.

Meanwhile, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday reiterated that his party would not oppose if the Armed Forces participate in the dialogue.

However, top leaders of both factions of the BNP-Secretary General (conformist) Khandaker Delwar Hossain and Acting Secretary General (reformist) Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed opposed the idea of military participation in the formal dialogue, saying the Army is part of the Government, not a third party.

Dr Hossain Zillur said they (four Advisers) have discussed different aspects of the preparation of the formal dialogue during their yesterday's meeting. "The preparations are at the final stage," he told journalists.

Housing and Public Works Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Golam Quader, LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser Anwarul Iqbal and Law Adviser Hassan Ariff were present at the meeting.