Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina finally phoned her archrival Khaleda Zia Saturday evening, and invited the BNP chairperson to the Gono Bhaban on Monday to talk about the next parliamentary election.
But uncertainty remains, as they couldn’t agree on the date and the contents of their parley.
In reply to the prime minister’s invite, Khaleda said she could hold talks only after the opposition’s 60-hour shutdown ends on October 29 evening.
At that, Hasina urged the BNP chief to call off the hartal.
Khaleda, the leader of the opposition, said it was not possible to withdraw the hartal now.
During the 37-minute conversation, the prime minister told Khaleda that they could discuss the all-party polls-time government she (Hasina) proposed in her address to the nation on October 18.
On the other hand, the country's leading economists and business leaders welcomed Saturday’s the dialogue offer by the prime minister to the opposition leader.
They urged them to continue efforts for an amicable solution to the ongoing political deadlock.
They said any half-hearted initiative would not bring about the desired results of holding an acceptable election which eventually will badly affect the country's overall business activities.
They also called for withdrawing the 60-hour hartal called by the opposition for the sake of bringing stability in the country and create an environment for the dialogue.
BBN/SSR/AD-27Oct13-12:55 pm (BST)