BNP, allies discuss new partner

Khaleda_19-Dal

However, no decision had yet been taken on the issue, a 19-Party alliance leader said.

Jatiya Ganatantrik Party chief Shafiul Alam Pradhan said the inclusion was “positive”.

“We have advised BNP chief Khaleda Zia on it,” he told reporters after the meeting at Khaleda’s Gulshan office on Wednesday night.

He said BNP’s spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir would brief the media on the issue on Thursday.

Dilip Barua, who leads the Samyabadi Dal, was a minister in the Awami league-led Grand Alliance government during its 2009-2013 term.

The Barua-led faction is an ally of the ruling Awami League.

The breakaway faction had asked Barua to resign from the cabinet and then expelled him as the latter refused to oblige.

“Since then we have been running the party after forming a supreme council,” Ahmed said.

A five-member delegation, led by acting general secretary of the Samyabadi Dal, Sayeed Ahmed, met Khaleda on Tuesday with the plea to join the alliance.

On Wednesday, Khaleda held a two-hour meeting with senior leaders of her alliance beginning 9pm.

Parties of the 19-Party alliance include the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Kalyan Party, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, National Peoples’ Party, National Democratic Party, National Awami Party (Bhasani), Labour Party, Muslim League, Islamic Party, People’s League, Jamiate Ulamaye Islam, Democratic League and Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar Ahmed).

The alliance held its last meeting on Apr 17.

Source: Bd news24