Bangladesh News

Pro-Khaleda faction of BNP yesterday rejected the government letter inviting them to participate in the formal dialogue, saying it did not address party secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain properly.

Meanwhile Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, acting secretary general of the pro-reform faction, accepted the government invitation for the talks Sunday night, though the letter made no mention of his designation.

Rizvi Ahmed, acting office secretary of pro-Khaleda faction, said a Special Branch official carried the letter to Delwar’s Nam apartment at about 9:30am.

But Delwar regretted to accept the letter sent from the Chief Adviser’s Office, as the authorities did not state his designation in it.

After getting a ‘corrected’ letter from the government, the pro-Khaleda faction will take its decision about participating in the dialogue in consultation with the party leaders, sources said.

In its letter, the government asked the leaders of both factions to send the names of their representatives. Both factions of BNP separately sat with the government in the pre-dialogue talks last month.

According to the chief adviser’s announcement, the formal dialogue between the government and the political parties will start May 22.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed said that he has received the letter, but they would take decision in this regard after discussing with the party leaders.

He declined to make any comment when asked if they will participate in the dialogue separately if the party does not reunite.

At present, the party unification process has been suspended due to strict stance of Delwar Hossain.

The reformist leaders believe that party chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is scheduled to appear before the metropolitan sessions judges court today, may give a positive signal to bring unity in the party and after that, the party would be united soon.

“We will get time even after the dialogue starts, as the government will sit with the smaller parties first,” a senior leader of the pro-reform group told The Daily Star.

Asked about the dialogue, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, member of party’s standing committee and known as a reformist leader, said, “We don’t have any alternative but to get united. I hope a united BNP will participate in dialogue with the government.”

Meanwhile, the pro-Khaleda faction leaders are observing the moves of rival Awami League leaders, who had already said that they would decide about taking part in dialogue after an extended meeting of the party’s central working committee to be held on May 26.