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Dialogue begins in 'good atmosphere'

Govt, Opposition stick to their positions

By Staff Correspondent
The Commonwealth-brokered dialogue to end the present political impasse began yesterday evening with the ruling party . and the Opposition in Parliament asserting their original positions on the contentious issues.
During the two-hour and fifteen-minute talks that began at 6:45 pm. both the sides hoped that they would be able to resolve the crisis through the di-alogue.
A joint statement by the two sides after the first session of the talks at 9:00 last night said
it had started 'in a good atmo-
Awami League (AL)' leader and Chief- Whip of the Opposition in Parliament Mohammad Nasim read out the joint statement saying The dialogue started in a good atmosphere.' Ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader and Chief Whip of Parliament Khandaker Delwar Hossain was standing beside Nasim at the time.
The Joint statement also said 'Our talks began .with Deputy Leader of the House
Prof A Q M Badruddoza Chowdhury and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Alhaj Abdus Samad Azad making opening statements.' Prof. Chowdhury led a 14-member ruling party delegation at the talks while a 15-member Opposition team was headed by Samad Azad.
The ruling party delegation comprised Communication Minister Oli Ahmed. Education Minister Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar. Information Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda. Chief Whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain. State Minister for
Establishment Aminul Huq. State Minister for Cultural Affairs Prof Jahan Ara Begum, Whip Ashraf Hossain and L K Siddiqui. Ziaur Rahman Khan. Hamldullah Khan, Major (retd) Kamrul Islam Amir Khasur. and Prof Rezaul Karim - all MPs.
Labour and Manpower Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. a member of the government team, was absent since he is abroad on a visit.
„ Members of the Opposition team were: Awami League General Secretary Zillur Rahman. Tofael Ahmed MP. Abdul Jalil. Opposition Chief Whip Mohammad Nasim. Advocate Abdur Rahim and Sheikh Harun-ur Rashid of Awami League. Moudud Ahmed MP. Anwar Hossain Manju MP and Monlrul Haq Chowdhury MP of Jatlya Party. Moulana Matiur Rahman Nizami MP. Moulana Abdus Sobhan MP and Sheikh Ansar A1J MP of Jainaat-e-Islami. SuranJlt Sengupta MP of Ganotantri Party. Salahuddin Kader Chowdhury MP of NDP. and Moulana Obaidul Huq MP of 1OJ
The entire proceedings of the talks were taped to enable Sir Ninian Stephen hear the conversation, sources said. An
. English translation of the proceedings would soon be handed over to Sir Ninian, the Commonwealth Secretary General's emissary for facilitating a 'productive dialogue.'
Two other opposition parties in Parliament — the Gana FOrum (GF) and the Workers Party (WP) — were not represented in the Opposition delegation.
Shamshuddoha. MP. from the GF. told The Daily Star that his party was not Invited to the dialogue, while the lone MP from the WP Rashed Khan Menon, who returned from Canada Wednesday night, did not attend the talks. Replying lo a question. Menon told this correspondent that he had nothing to do with the dialogue especially because "it was mediated by a foreigner a/id the undemocratic party Jamaat-e-Islami was there in the Opposition team."
The dialogue has been planned to end the political stalemate arising out of the Opposition demand for holding
general elect Wins under a caretaker government and the ruling party's refusal to meet the demand. The opposition has been boycotting Parliament proceedings since March last to realise the demand.
Meanwhile, sources close lo the leaders attending the dia Ingue said Abdus Samad Azad asserted that the nation was left with ijo option but to go for a constitutlonm provision for general elections under a non-partisan caretaker government.
It is a must because the history of polls In the country shows that the voters can exercise their franchise -freely only in the elections held under a non-partisan admlnlstra tion". the AL leader told the meeting.
On the other hand. Prof Badruddoza Chowdhury maintained thal the government was committed to introducing a fool-proof electoral system arid It was possible giving more powers to thri Election Commission, sources added.
The dialogue was adjourned till 6:30 pm tomorrow.
Sources in the AL said party general Secretary Zlllur Rahman and presidium member Abdul Jalil were included In the Opposition team as desired by Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina a few hours before the dialogue.
The BNP did not object to the inclusion of tfie two non-MPs in the opposition team but added two more members to tts delegation. Originally both the teams were to comprise 13 members each.
After the talks yesterday, the ruling party delegation met Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The Opposition team reviewed the situation at a meeting.