The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Leaders of Awami League and Jatiya Party could not reach agreement over seat sharing in the daylong dialogue that took place for the second consecutive day, yesterday at the Dhanmondi office of AL president.

The deadline for submission of nomination papers for contesting the upcoming general election will end today.

"We hope to reach a final decision today (Saturday)," JP acting president Anisul Islam Mahmud said prior to beginning the talks yesterday noon. But in the evening he was also hopeful to say about "settling the issue of seat sharing tomorrow (Sunday) morning".

"Our party hopes to get at least 40 seats," he added.

"The AL-led electoral alliance must finalise their list of candidates soon-if it is held up till Dec 11 (deadline for withdrawal of candidacy)

then candidates will only have 18 days for preparation, which is not sufficient," he observed.

The parties, however, finalised that JP Chairman Hussain Mohammad Ershad will contest the polls from three constituencies in Dhaka, Rangpur and Kurigram, Barrister Anisul said.

JP was being represented in Saturday's talks by Anisul and fellow JP presidium member Ziauddin Bablu, AL by presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and spokesman and joint general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam.

Meanwhile, AL leaders with Sheikh Hasina in the chair sat at the Dhanmondi office, and the meeting was in progress till the time of filing this report.

Sources said AL and its core alliance 14-party also got caught in limbo over their own and JP's shares.