Five advisers of Bangladesh care taker government hold official talks with four senior leaders of Bangladesh Awami League Party to discuss the nature and agenda of the upcoming dialogues between the government and political parties.
The government sat with AL as part of it’s unofficial round of talks with political parties before it sends out official invitations to them for the proposed dialogues, which might begin as soon as possible and government is also likely to meet BNP, Jamaat E Islami and Jatiya party for similar sort of dialogue.
In the meeting between AL and government representatives discussed six key points which were AL chief sheikh Hasina’s release from detention, the prospect of her travel overseas for medical treatment, the election schedule, lifting state of emergency and rising food prices.
The AL leaders were its presidium members Tofail Ahmed and Matia Chowdhury, Hasina’s political secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury and forest and environmental affairs secretary Hasan Mahmud.
Matia Chowdhury declared on behalf of AL that, "We will not join any dialogue in presence of war criminals" indicating the presence of Jamaat E Islami party.
The government sources said that the advisers asked AL to commit to peaceful elections, denounce political violence and to move forward in the spirit of compromise and accommodation.
The government firmly told the AL leaders that the status of the two leaders is non-negotiable as two ex prime minister of Bangladesh are still undergoing trials for corruption.
Source: The Daily star (compressed) , Channel I