Jatiya Oikyafront on Monday welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's decision on holding talks with it over the next general election.
"We called upon the Prime Minister for talks. We've come to know that she has decided to invite us to join dialogue responding to our call," said BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed.
Talking to reporters after a meeting of Oikyafront's steering committee at his Motijheel chamber, the BNP leader further said, "We welcome the Prime Minister's decision and we'll surely respond to it once we're formally informed about its venue and date."
The alliance also postponed its Tuesday's meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner after announcement from the ruling party about the PM’s willingness to hold dialogue with them, as per a report on UNB.
Earlier in the day, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader at a press conference said their party agreed to sit in dialogue with Jatiya Oikyafront leaders over the next general election very soon.
He said Sheikh Hasina will lead the dialogue.
In the wake of ruling party's announcement for talks, the Jatiya Oikyafront steering committee members sat in the meeting at Moudud's chamber to work out its next course of action.
Moudud said their meeting condemned the lower court's verdict in Zia Charitable Trust graft case the as it was given after holding trial in absence of Khaleda Zia.
"We hope the government will take immediate steps for her release on bail removing all the obstacles to it," he said.
The BNP leader said the meeting also protested inflicting sufferings on people by enforcing transport strike at the behest of the governments' ministers.
Moudud said an Oikyafront delegation was supposed to hold a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Tuesday afternoon, but it has been postponed as the Prime Minister responded to their call for holding talks. .
JSD president ASM Abdur Rob, general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, Gono Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, executive president Subrata Chowdhury, Nagorik Oikya's Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Jahedur Rahman, Jatiya Oiky Prokriya's Sultan Mohammad Mansur, ABM Mostafa Amin and Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah have attended the meeting with Moudud in the chair.
On October 13, BNP together with Dr Kama Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, JSD and Nagorik Oikya launched the Jatiy Oikyafront to press for their seven-point demand.
