Bangladesh News

Business leaders and diplomats took massive initiatives in the last two days to bring ruling BNP and main opposition Awami League (AL) to the negotiation table over electoral reforms to break the existing political deadlock.

As part of the move, business leaders held two meetings with BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and one with AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil in the last two days, urging both the leaders to sit immediately.

US Ambassador in Dhaka Patricia A Butenis held a meeting with Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina while Indian High Commissioner Veena Sikri met with Jalil yesterday. Both the envoys stressed the need for immediate dialogue to break the political standoff.

Meanwhile, Bhuiyan and Jalil had informal telephone conversations yesterday regarding their initiatives for the dialogue.

Jalil said Bhuiyan told him that he might make another phone call at any time last night to convey a formal proposal for the dialogue. He told reporters that he is ready for the talks to resolve disputes about the caretaker government and Election Commission if Bhuiyan comes up with a formal proposal.

However, Bhuiyan did not make the phone call last night. Sources said he may call Jalil tonight.

Earlier, talking to newsmen at his Mercantile Bank office yesterday, Jalil said, “If the ruling party gives a specific proposal for talks even over telephone, I will discuss it with my party chief and my colleagues in the party and the alliance. If they allow, we can sit to discuss over the electoral reforms.”

On the business leaders’ initiatives, Jalil, coordinator of the 14-party opposition combine, said there is no need for any mediation. “After getting clearance from both the parties, Mannan Bhuiyan and I can sit, the discussion will take place and ice will begin to melt.”

Replying to a question, Jalil said a dialogue with the BNP must settle who other than Justice KM Hasan and Justice MA Aziz will be the chief adviser to the caretaker government and the chief election commissioner.

BUSINESS LEADERS’ MOVE
A delegation of business leaders including Mir Nasir Hossain, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Annisul Huq, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Mahbubur Rahman, president of International Chambers and Commerce, held a closed-door meeting with Mannan Bhuiyan at his official residence.

After the meeting, Mir Nasir told newsmen that they discussed holding the dialogue. “The discussion was fruitful and we hope the dialogue will take place within two to three days,” the FBCCI president said.

Earlier on Tuesday night, the business leaders held another meeting with Bhuiyan.

Later at their meeting with Jalil at his Gulshan residence yesterday, the business leaders urged him to sit with Bhuiyan to put up an end to the political deadlock for the greater interest of the country and the business sector. “He [Jalil] told us that he is ready to sit with BNP if he gets formal proposals,” Nasir told reporters.

The business leaders told reporters that they will meet with Bhuiyan again today.

JALIL-SIKRI MEETING
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri held an hour-long meeting with Jalil from 10:00am at the latter’s Gulshan residence discussing the overall situation of the country including the electoral reforms agenda.

Sikri urged the AL leader to go for the dialogue. In response, Jalil told the envoy that he will sit in the dialogue if the BNP formally gives proposals.

HASINA-BUTENIS MEETING
US Ambassador Patricia A Butenis and Sheikh Hasina held a one-to-one closed-door meeting at Hasina’s Sudha Sadan residence, discussing the dialogue between the government and the AL.

AL sources said the US envoy suggested the AL president to go for the dialogue to break off political face-off.

Details of the two-hour long meeting could not be known as journalists were not allowed at Sudha Sadan.