BANGLADESH

The ruling Awami League general secretary has echoed the views of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the need to initiate a political dialogue with all political parties.

Syed Ashraful Islam, however, did not give any date or process of holding the talks to resolve 'differences'.

Clinton, during her recent visit to Dhaka, had underlined the need for and encouraged to initiate dialogue among the political actors of the state to settle all disputes.

"The political dialogue has to be held as it has no alternative (to ease an increasingly volatile political situation)," he said replying to reporters queries at the parliament building on Wednesday.

When asked about the date and process of talks, the local government minister said," Everybody will know that once the process starts."

Diplomatic quarters have been suggesting holding talks ever since the ruling coalition and the opposition took diametrically opposite stance on the issue of caretaker government.

The European Union on Wednesday joined the United States in calling the major parties in Bangladesh for a political dialogue.

An EU delegation in Bangladesh made the call at a press conference in Dhaka marking the 62nd Europe Day and 40 years of partnership between Bangladesh and the European Union.

Jatiya Party (JP), one of the key of the ruling coalition, also believes 'it's necessary to hold talks before the next general elections'.

JP chief Hussein Muhammad Ershad on Tuesday spoke in favour of initiating national polls dialogues in parliament.


"Our stance is clear ... we are ready to sit for talks or discussions with the government over the issue of non-partisan government," BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday.

"However, they (government) will have to announce that they have morally accepted the stance," he added.