President Shahabuddin Ahmed yesterday advised the government and the opposition parlies to resolve their current disputes through fruitful talks, reports UNB.

Fruitful talks and discussions among the politica' parties of both the Government and the Opposition would hblp in overcoming the situation." he said.

The President gave the advise when former president ahd Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad went to Bangabhaban to request him not to assent to the Public Safety Act bill.

Ershad requested the President to refer the Bill to the Supreme Court for Its learned opinion about its nature.

This Is the first ever meeting of deposed president Ershad with President Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban after he had handed over power to the then acting President Shahabuddin Ahmed, following the 1990 mass upsurge.

Ershad. who has been critical of President Shahabuddin Ahmed, apparently for the treatment meted out to him after his exit, led an eight-member delegation to Bangabhaban that he had left a decade ago.

The JP delegation members referred to certain provisions of the tough law that they observed curtail court's power to grant bail. They requested the President to take positive steps in overcoming the present political situation following the passage of the Public Safety Bill in the Jatiya Sangsad.

President Shahabuddln reminded his predecessor Ershad and his delegation of his constitutional bindings and limitations.