AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil yesterday called BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and said he was ready for the dialogue.

Earlier on Friday, Bhuiyan, also LGRD and cooperatives minister, made a phone call to his opposition counterpart and gave a formal proposal for talks to settle the reforms issue.

In separate press briefings the same day, both the leaders said they would talk again over telephone to set the time and venue for the dialogue. Sources said the dialogue might take place at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban or state guesthouse Jamuna in a day or two.

BHUIYAN'S BRIEFING
"He (Jalil) phoned me this morning [yesterday morning] and said they are ready for the talks," Bhuiyan said.

"I have received positive response from the opposition and I hope we'll sit in a day or two after finalising the venue," he told reporters at his official residence.

He said he hopes that both the sides will go to the talks with an open mind and will be able to reach a consensus On ruling coalition partner Jamaat's Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid's comment that the talks between the two parties would not be fruitful, Bhuiyan said, "He (Mujahid) actually did not oppose it."

He said the agenda for the secretaries-general level discussion will be decided after talking to his colleagues and the final decision after the talks too will be taken in consultation with the party and alliance (four-party) leaders.

Asked if they will take any assistance from others for the dialogue, he said that for the time being, there is no scope for anyone else to be involved.

JALIL'S BRIEFING
"I called BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at 12:10pm and told him that we have accepted his formal proposal over telephone and now we can talk about the electoral reforms," Jalil told reporters at his Mercantile Bank office yesterday.

"I hope we will sit tomorrow (today) or the day after tomorrow (tomorrow). As the ice has already broken, we (Bhuiyan-Jalil) may talk anytime. Anyway, I will call him tonight (last night) to fix the date, time and venue," Jalil said.

By this time Bhuiyan would consult his party and alliance leaders, Jalil said adding that he too would discuss the issue with AL and 14-party leaders.

But as of 9:00pm, Jalil did not phone Bhuiyan and neither did he receive any call from the secretary general. He however had discussions with AL President Sheikh Hasina and senior leaders of the opposition alliance last night.

Replying to a query, he said he and Bhuiyan have agreed to discuss every aspect of the reform agenda.

Asked on how many points they will compromise, Jalil said, "It is not a matter of compromise. Here our stance is very clear: the dialogue will be held on the reform proposals."

He added that they have the courage to make concessions at the negotiating table in the greater interests of the country.

"I know which proposals are needed most to ensure a free and fair election and I will push for those," Jalil said adding that he hopes they will be able to reach a fair conclusion.

On the recent pressure from different quarters for negotiations, the AL general secretary said the business leaders and others including the civil society members had expressed concern over the political crisis in the country. But being politicians, they have some responsibilities, and for this they have decided to sit in a dialogue, Jalil added.

Asked why they did not sit earlier to break the deadlock, he replied that in the meantime countrymen have become convinced of the need for electoral reforms.

Jalil, also coordinator of the 14-party combine, said certainly, the government has realised that reforms are a must for a free and fair election and so they gave the proposal for dialogue. Asked what if the talks break down, he said the ongoing movement for reforms will continue alongside the discussion.