Parliament sources said an amendment to the constitution seeking to introduce 45 reserved Jatiya Sangsad seats for women was likely to be placed in the session.

The government is planning to pass the amendment bill without the participation of the main opposition that rejected the proposed changes in the constitution.

Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, secretary general of ruling coalition leader Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), called Deputy Leader of the Opposition Abdul Hamid on Saturday, asking the main opposition Awami League (AL) to return to the House.

He also offered a dialogue to break the parliamentary stand-off.

But AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil dismissed the overtures yesterday, saying: "It's too late to invite us to negotiating tables. We're determined to dislodge the government by next April."

The AL, which has been boycotting parliament since June 25 last year, is now trying to add zest to its anti-government agitation.

The current session that has already seen 26 workdays after its opening on January 18 will run until March 30 according to a decision of the Business Advisory Committee.

Political sources said the government extended the duration of the session with the intent to put pressure on the AL, which has already boycotted parliament for 49 workdays in a row, to join the House or risk losing parliamentary membership after crossing a 90-day absent mark.

The BNP will hold a parliamentary party meeting at 12:00pm tomorrow at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after 55 days of adjournment.

The party adjourned its January 21 meeting for an indefinite period.