But in a sudden move last night US ambassador in Dhaka Patricia A Butenis invited BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil at her official residence at 8:00pm today.

Accepting the invitation, Jalil phoned his counterpart Bhuiyan at about 11:00pm urging him to join the meeting at the US envoy's residence to settle the venue and time for the dialogue.

"The US Ambassador has told me that she has invited me and Mannan Bhuiyan to a tea. I have accepted her invitation. I hope Mannan Bhuiyan will also accept it. He will attend if they (government) want dialogue," Jalil told reporters after an emergency meeting of the AL Presidium last night at Sudha Sadan.

But the BNP secretary general kept mum over the invitation. Sources said Bhuiyan might not sit with Jalil at the envoy's house to discuss reforms.

Bhuiyan will formally make clear his position at a press briefing today at 12:30pm after discussing the matter with the BNP chairperson and senior party leaders.

The complexities over a venue have made the talks uncertain again.

The AL presidium meeting held last night with party President Sheikh Hasina in the chair endorsed the US envoy's invitation to Jalil.

Sources said the AL prefers to start dialogue at the ambassador's residence as the party leaders consider it as a 'neutral place' while the BNP policymakers think the talks should not take place at any envoy's house.

Bhuiyan had proposed yesterday morning that the dialogue could be held at State Guesthouse Padma at 11:00am today. But Jalil did not make clear his position whether he will accept Bhuiyan's proposal.

Asked about Bhuiyan's proposal, Jalil told The Daily Star at 11:52 last night that he would talk to Bhuiyan about settling the venue.

"This is a great opportunity for the two major political parties to move forward," AL Presidium Member Kazi Zafarullah told The Daily Star about the US envoy's invitation for "starting the talks" at her residence.

The AL presidium meeting observed that the US wants a meaningful election in Bangladesh and it could facilitate a dialogue between the two parties, AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star.

He said they are hopeful about starting the talks. "If the dialogue does not take place, people will march to Dhaka with whatever they have to force the government to carry out reforms," Quader said.

However, as the two parties remain rigid on some crucial points there is fear that things could get even worse if the talks fail.

The opposition has decided not to budge on its objections to Justice KM Hasan taking over as the Caretaker government chief and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Aziz and the other three election commissioners continuing in their jobs.

It will also keep demanding that instead of the president, the caretaker government should be in charge of the defence ministry.

The ruling party, on the other hand, will not accept the opposition proposed reforms in the caretaker government system including a consensus appointment of the chief adviser and handover of defence's charge to the interim government.

The BNP however might agree to reconstitute the Election Commission (EC) and concede the demands regarding the reforms of electoral laws, said sources within the party.

Both the sides have worked out their strategies for the talks in consultation with their allies. They had earlier expressed optimism about the outcome of the talks that may continue for several days.

Jalil is ready place the 31-point reform proposals in the talks and will wait for response from his counterpart, sources said.

The BNP has already identified a number of points in the opposition proposals to argue and made preparations accordingly.

People's expectation for a consensus between the opposing sides has been building up since Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina on February 12 placed in parliament the 31-point demand for reforms in the caretaker government and electoral systems.

In response, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on February 28 proposed that a committee with representatives from the ruling and opposition alliances discuss the issue.

Despite exchange of letters between the BNP and AL, a stalemate followed over inclusion of coalition partners Jamaat and Islami Oikya Jote in the proposed committee, raising the spectre of violent confrontation before the next parliamentary election.

Since then, political analysts and former advisers to caretaker government had kept stressing that street fighting between the rival parties could undermine the next caretaker government if the dispute is not resolved during the present government's tenure.

Finally, the prime minister on September 13 proposed that a secretaries general level dialogue might take place between the two major parties to break the stand-off.

Besides, pressure from business community, civil society members, and diplomats including the US and UK envoys kept mounting on the ruling and opposition parties to sit for negotiations.

Then, telephone conversations between Bhuiyan and Jalil and some intense initiatives throughout the last week paved the way for formal discussions.