AL agrees to talk BNP demands

The ruling Awami Leagues has agreed to discuss all issues raised by BNP in a bid to bring the agitating Opposition back to the Parliament, AL leaders said.

Speaker Humayun Rashid Chowdhury, in consultation with top government leaders, sent another letter to Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday.

This one is the third letter in a row from the Speaker to Khaleda Zia. An emissary of the Speaker delivered the letter to a personal assistant to the Opposition Leader at her Cantonment residence.

Talking to The Daily Star last night, the Speaker said, "I have written to her (Khaleda Zia) that the government is ready to discuss anything and everything the Opposition desires."

Chowdhury said that he got signals from the 'highest level' expressing the government's eagerness to have dialogue with the Opposition on all the points they had raised earlier.

"I have also written in the letter that if the Opposition wishes to talk, as a facilitator, I can help arrange a dialogue", he went on.

In reply to a question, the Speaker said, " I hope to get a positive response from the Opposition Leader".

AL sources said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her senior cabinet colleagues have given the Speaker a 'green signal' to organise a dialogue.

The move for a dialogue with the Opposition, which is boycotting Parliament sessions, came at a time when the BNP-led four-party opposition alliance is planning to go for an allout oust-government movement.

When contacted last night, Prime Minister's adviser Suranjit Sengupta said, "We will have dialogues with the Opposition on whatever issues they like to raise.

"If they come up with an open mind, I can see that we're very close to a solution to the current political standoff."

Earlier, the Speaker had written two letters to Khaleda Zia late last month and the Opposition Chief Whip replied to those setting some preconditions for dialogue.

The preconditions are as follows:

*Release of all arrested BNP leaders and activists, withdrawal of false cases against them and implementation of a four-point agreement signed with the government earlier.

*Withdrawal of an 'indecent' remark on Khaleda Zia by the Prime Minister in the parliament.

*Expunging the remark from the proceedings of the House.

*An assurance from the Prime Minister that she would not pass such remarks in future.

*The Speaker must be neutral and must act in a transparent manner.