No dialogue now

The AL chief's Dhanmondi office barred The Daily Star reporter from covering the meeting between the party and the EU delegation without giving any reason. We, however, run the report based on information from secondary sources.

The Awami League will not sit in a dialogue with the BNP until the ongoing violence ceases, the ruling party told the visiting European Union parliamentary delegation yesterday.

“If it is necessary to hold talks with the BNP on free, fair and credible polls; strengthening the Election Commission or enacting a new law in this regard, the Awami League would do so,” said Gowher Rizvi, prime minister's international affairs adviser.

He was briefing newsmen after a meeting with the delegates of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights at the AL chief's Dhanmondi office in the afternoon.

“The dialogue may be arranged before the next election. Containing violence is the first priority of the government at this moment,” he added.

The AL, said Rizvi, would do everything within the constitutional and democratic framework.

In the meeting, both the sides agreed that there is no scope for linking dialogue with violence, he mentioned.

The EU delegation was led by Christian Dan Preda, vice-chair of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights.

AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, PM's advisers HT Imam and Moshiur Rahman, AL leaders Dipu Moni, Faruq Khan, Abdus Sobhan Golap and Asim Kumar Ukil attended the meeting.

Meeting sources said the EU team condemned State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam's comment that the EU delegation did not express concern over the human rights situation in Bangladesh.

The delegation said they have been here to express concern over the current situation. Shahriar made the comment while speaking to reporters at his office after a meeting with the EU delegation on Wednesday.