Leaders and lawmakers of BNP and Awami League (AL) started to gather at the dialogue venue much before the kick-off of the long-awaited talks. They expressed hope that the dialogue will be meaningful and thus able to break the political stand-off over the electoral reforms.

The first day's discussions between BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil took place in the standing committee room of the JS Bhaban and lasted for 70 minutes.

Seeking to end the long stalemate over reform issue, the two parties yesterday sat for the first time in 11 years.

In 1995, the BNP and AL sat at the state guesthouse Padma amid a deadlock over the then opposition AL's demand for introduction of a non-party caretaker government system to hold a free and fair election.

At that time, the then BNP government ignored the opposition demand and held the sixth parliamentary election on February 15, 1996 that was boycotted by all opposition political parties.

The then BNP government was forced to step down on March 30, 1996 in the face of opposition's movement and introduced the caretaker government by amending the constitution.

This time, Bhuiyan and Jalil are at the negotiating table to discuss reforms in the caretaker government and electoral systems.

Accompanied by party lawmakers, BNP second in command Mannan Bhuiyan entered the standing committee room at 11:29am. Shortly afterwards, he was joined by his counterpart Jalil.

Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui received them amid huge camera clicks. The security personnel at that time were having great difficulty managing the crowds of journalists and party leaders.

The two leaders allowed 15 minuets for a photo session when scores of press photographers and TV cameramen recorded the historic event. For the first time, private TV cameras and photojournalists were allowed inside the parliament building during the current parliament.

Different private television channels broadcast the event live from the JS Bhaban.

After the photo session, Bhuiyan and Jalil got down to business in the standing committee room amid heavy security measures.

The two secretaries general emerged from the meeting venue and went to the cabinet room at 12:54pm to address a joint press conference, also for the first time in the history of Bangladesh politics.

The room was crammed with reporters, photographers and camera crew and was in a state of chaos before the two leaders called upon the crowd to keep quiet.

"We will be forced to leave the room if you (crowd) don't keep silence," said Bhuiyan, visibly annoyed. As the noise faded out, the two leaders began to speak.

The yesterday's festivity reminded many of the scenes at the parliament secretariat at the beginning of current parliament on October 28, 2001.

"But the festivity at the beginning of the current parliament was one-sided as the main opposition Awami League boycotted the inaugural session of the House," a senior official of the JS Secretariat told The Daily Star.

HOPE FOR A CONSENSUS

"We wouldn't have come to the dialogue, had we thought it won't be meaningful," AL lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor told reporters at the JS Bhaban.

Ruling BNP Whip Shahidul Haque Jamal said the two leaders have started the discussion with an open mind. "It is expected that the talks will be successful."

The 14-party opposition combine leaders termed the dialogue an outcome of their long campaign for reforms in the caretaker government system, Election Commission and electoral laws.

"The beginning of the dialogue was fine. We hope the government will accept the proposals sincerely. If they do not carry out the electoral reforms, the country will head towards confrontation," AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader said.

Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party, said a positive result must come out from the talks to avoid confrontation.

"We are optimistic that the two leaders will reach a consensus to break the deadlock," Nazrul Islam Khan, joint secretary general of BNP, said.

Abdus Salam, general secretary of Dhaka city unit BNP, said if the two leaders agree, there should be no complexities over implementation of the reforms agenda.