BANGLADESH

Jatiya Party (JP) chief Hussein Muhammad Ershad has spoken in favour of initiating national poll dialogues in parliament, a senior party leader has said.

Ershad spoke his mind on the poll dialogues during an hour-long visit to ruling Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office on Tuesday, a leader attending the meeting said.

JP presidium members Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ziauddin Bablu accompanied the former president to the prime minister.

"Discussions or dialogues, whatever you call it, the opposition will have to start it and start it in parliament", he quoted Hasina as saying.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also emphasised on the need for talks between the government and the opposition to resolve political differences, during her recent Bangladesh visit. Foreign diplomats and businessmen operating in Bangladesh have also been making similar appeals.

BNP, which has been pressing for reinstatement of the caretaker government provision, said that they were ready for the talks. However, one of the party's senior leaders, Moudud Ahmed, said on Tuesday that the government should initiate the talks.