Stirred by main opposition AL's oust-government movement and subsequent parleys with other parties, Hasanul Haq Inu-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Workers Party (WP) are also holding dialogues among themselves on how to give the current anti-government movement a coordinated shape.

Sources in the opposition camp said in recent weeks the AL gained a great deal of sympathy and moral support of other opposition parties because of what they said was high-handedness of the government and recent police excesses on pro-hartal pickets.

Despite drawing little response from mainstream leftist political parties to its alliance-building bid, the AL is set to continue dialogues with all pro-liberation parties in an attempt to add spark to the campaign to overthrow the BNP-led coalition government.

Following AL's separate talks with different components of the Left Democratic Front and the 11-party grouping during the last two weeks, all the small political parties met on February 19 under the 11-party banner. The meeting resolved to further strengthen a third alternate political force beyond the existing AL-BNP bipolar politics.

As none of the parties, including the CPB, WP, Gano Forum, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and Samyabadi Dal, dismissed AL's proposal for forging a greater opposition unity, the AL leadership prefers continuing the political dialogues.

After a week's respite, the AL had a meeting with Nirmal Sen-led Sramik Krishak Samajbadi Dal (SKSD) on Monday and one with JSD (Inu) on Tuesday. The AL and JSD agreed to form an anti-government alliance.

JSD (Inu) held a meeting with the WP at the latter's office on Monday.

All the meetings focused on intensifying the current anti-government movement -- be it from an AL-led single opposition platform or separately.

Inu said yesterday the JSD would hold a meeting with Dr Kamal Hossain-led Oikya Procheshta within a couple of days with the aim to agree on a concerted programme by all opposition parties.

Dr Kamal, drawing wide sympathy since Monday's attack on him on way to Rangamati, is trying to convene a national convention on March 14 bringing together all opposition parties to decry government's indifference to law and order downslide, corruption and unabated price hike of essentials.

Speaking at Monday's meeting between the JSD and the WP, Inu said both the parties agreed that without ousting the present government sufferings of the people could not be redressed and a joint move by all opposition parties was required to intensify the current disconnected programmes.

Earlier, after having separate meetings with the AL, various left-leaning opposition parties told the press that they agreed with the AL on the need for intensifying current anti-government movement. But, they would definitely require further consultations within the 11-party forum to decide whether to join hands with the AL on a single platform.

After a recent meeting with the AL, CPB President Monjurul Ahsan Khan categorically said his party did not necessarily believe in any 'one-point' (oust-government) movement. Rather, he said, any of its movements was always aimed at improving the lot of the masses, including the workers and farmers.

Following February 19 crucial meeting of the 11-party alliance, CPB General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim said they always favoured development of a third independent political force in the country beyond the traditional AL-BNP polarity.

Without clarifying its position on alliance-building possibility with AL, Selim said, "We'll (11-party) meet again soon to further review the current political situation."

Talking to The Daily Star recently, WP President Rashed Khan Menon said the 11-party did not take any firm stance as yet for forming any coalition with the AL. Menon said, "The AL has not yet completed meeting all of us. They've some scheduled dialogues with other opposition parties."

The 11-party alliance coordinator and BSD President Khalequzzaman told The Daily Star recently that "prior to 2001 polls, we (11-party) laid out in our manifesto that we would evolve an alternative political force beyond the bipolar political trend in Bangladesh." He also reminded that the 11-party did not shift from that stance as yet.

Leftist politicians made it clear that whether they forged alliance with the AL or not, they would intensify their anti-government movement and might also call hartal and other agitation programmes.