Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina yesterday appointed Shah AMS Kibria. a former bureaucrat, her political adviser, a party press release said

Kibria. 63. will continue to serve, in addition to the new designation, as a member of the party’s advisory council, the press release added.

According to AL Insiders. Kibria has been given the new status ahead of the proposed Commonwealth-mediated dialogue between the ruling party and the Opposition specifically to assist Hasina during her ; talks with the Commonwealth t representative Sir Ninian

Stephen. . --

Sir Ninian, originally expected to arrive tomorrow, is now not due in the. city until October 13.

KIbria, who had served the government of Ziaur Rahman as Foreign Secretary from September 1978 to April .1981, was the Executive Director of the Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) between 1987 and 1992. He Joined, the Awami

-League in September 1992.