The much-hyped meeting between Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman ended after nearly one and a half hours of discussions on various crucial issues, ahead of the general election in Bangladesh.
The meeting began at the Dorchester hotel in London at 2pm on Friday, Bangladesh time, and continued till 3:30pm, said BNP Media Cell member Shairul Kabir Khan.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury are likely to brief reporters on the outcome of the talks.
Earlier, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman and Shafiqul welcomed Tarique upon his arrival at the hotel around 1:50pm.
The meeting was scheduled to end at 4pm but concluded half an hour earlier than planned.
Shairul said Tarique, accompanied by Khasru and International Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, left his London residence around 1pm for the meeting.
Several hundred leaders and activists from the BNP’s UK chapter, who had gathered in front of the Dorchester earlier in the morning, warmly welcomed Tarique as he arrived.
Meanwhile, Khalilur and Khasru also held a separate meeting at the hotel, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Azad Majumder.
BNP Media Cell Convener Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel said Khasru will brief reporters on the meeting between the chief adviser and the BNP acting chief.
The high-profile meeting has sparked significant interest in the country’s political arena.
All eyes are now on London, as many see this as a potential turning point in Bangladesh’s political landscape ahead of the upcoming election.
Senior BNP leaders and political analysts believe several key issues, including the election timeline, proposed reforms, the July charter, justice for the victims of the July uprising, a safe and orderly transfer of power, ratification of decisions made by the interim government, a dignified exit strategy for the interim administration, and the possible return of Tarique to Bangladesh, were supposed to be discussed at the meeting.
BNP leaders consider this meeting a significant step towards resolving the deadlock over the election schedule, suggesting that adjusting the timeline could be a central issue in the talks.
