The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

The proposed dialogue between two former premiers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina is spinning new controversy as the Awami League (AL) chief wants it to have specific agenda based on acceptance of December 18 polls while the BNP chief wants the talks to be open-ended and unconditional.

Sheikh Hasina yesterday added the latest condition to accept the December 18 parliamentary elections to sit with her archrival Begum Khaleda Zia. Earlier, the AL chief also set a condition that the talks should be televised.

As the AL chief sets conditions, one after another, to sit with Begum Zia, senior BNP leaders raised question on the sincerity of the AL leadership in holding the proposed talks.

A highly placed source close to the BNP Chairperson told The New Nation that the discussion between the two leaders could be held anywhere any time but it should be open and without setting any condition.

Meanwhile, government spokesman and Adviser for Commerce Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday observed that the government could take a initiative to make sitting of the two former premiers, Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina across the table only if they expressed their keenness to this ended.

“The government is ready to take an initiative to make sitting of the two leaders based on their obvious eagerness in this regard,” he said while talking to reporters after attending a scientific seminar and conference at a city hotel.

Earlier on Thursday, the Commerce Adviser told reporters that the government would act as a catalyst in the talks between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.

In the latest development, the AL said the talks between the two leaders could be held if it was televised and the December 18 parliamentary election is kept on the top of the agenda.

Sheikh Hasina’s special aide Dr Hassan Mahmud yesterday told reporters that Sheikh Hasina was willing to sit with the BNP Chairperson but it should be televised and December 18 polls should be included in the agenda.

Briefing journalists after a meeting of Iranian Ambassador Hassan Farazandeh with the AL Chief, he said the dialogue would not be succeeded, if it was not televised and not held in favour of December 18 polls

He reiterated that the proposed talks between the two leaders must be broadcast live on all TV and radio channels in presence of journalists from print media.

On Wednesday, BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan told reporters that Begum Zia was ready to sit with Sheikh Hasina to discuss any topic but it should be sans any condition.

“We do not consider the talks between the two leaders as debate that it should be televised on live,” he said adding that it could be if the two leaders felt to apprise the people about the outcome of the meeting.

After the release of BNP Chairperson on September 11, Hossain Zillur told reporters that the government would take an initiative to hold dialogue between the two top leaders to overcome the political impasse.

Barrister Rafiq Ul Haque, the counsel of both the former premiers, had earlier taken a move to bring the two top leaders across the table but finally failed.

After a meeting with diplomats of three European countries on Wednesday, Sheikh Hasina had expressed her no objection to sit with her archrival BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to discuss the issues of national importance.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also responded positively to the talk offer when the diplomats approached her in the evening the same day.