Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on Thursday said that they will be formally inviting BNP for talks on the general elections within a day or two.
“The prime minister has already urged the opposition party for talks. We will send BNP the formal proposal based on its response,” he told journalists after a programme in the city
He expressed hopes that the talks would start soon and added: “We hope that a consensus will be reached about the upcoming polls so that it can be held in a free and credible manner.”
Ashraf, who is also the LGRD minister, hinted that the top brass of the two parties would be on the negotiating table.
In a press conference earlier in the day, BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu said that they are ready to sit for talks if the government formally invites them and if their long-standing demand for reinstatement of the caretaker government provision is on the agenda.
Responding to a query about the caretaker government issue, the AL spokesperson expressed hope that BNP would put the country’s welfare first.
“The caretaker provision was scrapped through a constitutional amendment in line with the apex court’s verdict. So there is no scope to bring it back. However, if we sit together, I believe, we could chalk out a solution to that issue.”
His remarks came only hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to sit for the dialogue at any venue of her choice.
