Chief_Adviser
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Registration date : 2008-06-10
 |  Subject: Hasina, Khaleda talk after years ....................  Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:54 pm | |
|  Squabbling former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, who have barely spoken to each other for the past 16 years, exchanged greetings and shook hands on Friday.
They spoke to each other for four minutes at Senakunja where they had gone to attend the Armed Forces Day reception.
Khaleda was the first to reach the venue, with Hasina driving there a few minutes later, our correspondent Firoze Ahmed reported.
The leaders of the two main political parties, one of whom will be the next prime minister, barring an extraordinary upset, talked to reporters before leaving the venue.
"We have exchanged pleasantries. I wanted to know how she had been in jail," Hasina said when asked what she had discussed with her arch political rival.
"It is not clear why the emergency rule is being prolonged by proposing a delay in the election while people are waiting for it."
Asked whether she thought the general election would be pushed back, she said, "It's a concern of the government and the BNP. We are not a stakeholder as far as this issue is concerned."
Khaleda said to reporters, "BNP is a pro-election party. If the government provides an favourable environment we will go to polls."
The former prime ministers, who have taken turns to rule the country for 15 years, have not met for a long time, and their face-to-face meeting has been high on the agenda for months now.
Their mutual hatred and inability to negotiate played a big part in turning politics into a prolonged cycle of violent retaliation.
President Iajuddin Ahmed, who hosted the party, chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and his wife Neena Ahmed, chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, former presidents HM Ershad, AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Abdur Rahman Biswas, cabinet members, judges, chiefs of diplomatic missions, politicians, incumbent and former chiefs of staffs and senior government officials were in attendance.
Fakhruddin was flanked by Khaleda at the right and Hasina on the left.
The chief adviser and army chief general Moeen U Ahmed talked to Hasina and later to Khaleda.
Caretaker advisers and leaders from various fields recently have tried and failed to bring the two political foes together and seat them across the table.
Iajuddin in his speech paid tribute to the members of the armed forces who laid down their lives for independence of the country and recalled the contribution of armed forces.
He hoped that the armed forces would continue to show their professional skills and commitment.
The speech over, Iajuddin exchanged greetings with the two leaders.
The Sectors Commanders' Forum, made of the commanders of 1971 war of independence, boycotted the reception in protest at the invitation of the anti-liberation forces .
Communist Party of Bangladesh also did not participate in the reception on the same ground, a press release said.
The government is observing the Armed Forces Day to pay tribute to the members of the armed forces who died during the war against Pakistan.
Marking the day, president Iajuddin laid down flowers at the 'Shikha Anirban' (eternal flame) blazing in Dhaka Cantonment in the morning.
On Nov. 21, 1971, the armed forces of Bangladesh was formally constituted comprising army, navy and air force.
The days' programme had begun with special prayers offered at all the cantonment, air and naval base mosques for the prosperity and development of the armed forces.
Army, navy and air force chiefs offered flowers at the 'Shikha Anirban' in the morning. | |
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