Sources said Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, also LGRD and cooperatives minister, has not yet been able to discuss the issue with Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Bhuiyan is expected to meet the premier to this end and reply AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil's letter in a day or two, the sources added.

The AL leader on March 22 wrote back to Bhuiyan, seeking clarification of a number of specific aspects. Earlier on March 20, Bhuiyan in his letter sought names for a committee to discuss the opposition's proposals.

Bhuiyan suggested that the committee could be formed solely with members of parliament. But the members of the 14-party alliance who do not have representatives in parliament are publicly demanding their participation in the committee.

BNP policymakers believe a small committee formed with lawmakers will function better and smoothly as the issue will have to be finally settled in parliament.

A senior minister who declined to be named said if non-MPs are incorporated in the committee, its size will be huge and it may very well turn into a seminar instead of a committee.

"It will be very difficult to reach a consensus on such a crucial matter at the meeting of a huge committee," he explained.

BNP sources said the party is not going to include its coalition partners in the committee. But the party top brass are considering inclusion of some of the AL's non-MP allies, they added.

Bhuiyan told The Daily Star the BNP wants to discuss the reform proposals with the opposition leaders. "We'll write back to the main opposition very shortly after holding talks with the prime minister," he said.