Advisers may sit today to discuss talks with parties

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The council of advisers to the caretaker government is likely to meet tomorrow and discuss how to kick off talks with the political parties, said sources close to the military-backed administration.

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in an address to the nation on January 12 announced that the government would open a dialogue with the political parties in line with a decision taken by the advisory council on January 10.

Talking to The Daily Star recently, a number of advisers have hinted they would soon begin working to lay the groundwork for the talks.

From the health adviser’s Tuesday’s phone call to Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury, it seemed the dialogue process had begun. But later the move was described as unofficial while the advisers were asked not to make frequent comments on the issue to avert confusion and misunderstanding, said a source.

The government wants to proceed according to a plan so that the dialogue is fruitful, it added.

Another source said there is little possibility for the talks to start soon since the government wants the Election Commission (EC) to complete first its dialogue with the political parties on electoral reforms.

But the EC, faced with legal complexities over meeting BNP, is uncertain about the fate of the talks that began on September 12 last year and were supposed to be over by November.

Already one and a half months behind schedule, it is still searching for ways to resume the dialogue that it cancelled following a High Court stay order on November 18 last year.

The HC ruling came in response to a writ petition filed by detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the legality of the EC’s invitation to the Saifur-led faction of her party.

On November 5, the commission sent the invitation to the pro-reform group, dismissing pro-Khaleda faction’s claim that they represent the mainstream BNP and so Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the secretary general appointed by the chairperson, deserves to be in the dialogue.

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