The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Mymensingh

Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman on Saturday said the exchange of pleasantries between the country's two top political leaders overnight created a new hope in political arena.

"The Friday evening's event as witnessed by the nation has created a new hope for the country," he told a school function at Haluaghat here in an apparent reference to the greetings exchanged between Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at the armed forces division reception at Dhaka Cantonment.

He said the two former premiers-Sheikh Hasina and her archrival Khaleda Zia- in a rare gesture exchanged pleasantries Friday night after over a decade sending apparently a good signal to the volatile politics in emergency- ruled Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia enquired about each other's welfare standing on the lawn amid claps of those who joined the military reception to mark Armed Forces Day.

Several attempts to have the two leaders to sit across the table to resolve major issues of the nation appeared futile in recent years, but they last week expressed their eagerness to sit together to hold a dialogue on national issues.

The two most prominent leaders of the country rarely met in the past two decades while they even refused to talk to each other despite appeals by civil society and business leaders to resolve outstanding national issues ending the politics of confrontation.

The commerce adviser told the function at Haluaghat Adarsha Uchya Bidyalaya that a balanced development could be ensured through a political consensus as well as removal of regional imbalances.

Zillur later visited Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh and exchanged opinions with its new vice chancellor Professor Dr MA Sattar Mandol and senior teachers including faculty deans.